Chapter 144

"Prosecutor Chang, please don't kick me, give me a chance to repent. I really didn't intend to cause trouble; I just sat too long, my legs went numb, I can't get up..."

This pleading voice uttered from Lin Dongfan's mouth was like a terrifying curse, constantly striking Chang Ming's heart, each note filled with sinister aura.

What does it mean when a scholar meets a soldier and can't explain the reasoning?

Today I truly understand this.

Lin Dongfan isn't a soldier; he's a thoroughgoing rascal and scoundrel! A shameless mountain bandit! To achieve his goal, he simply doesn't care about face.

The key is that this guy is like a dog-skin plaster—you can't shake him off.

It's maddening!

Chang Ming, on the verge of tears, pleaded with Lin Dongfan: "Ancestor! Don't beg me, I really can't bear this. Now I beg you, please loosen your grip, okay?"

"Prosecutor Chang, I also want to let go, but if I let go you'll kick me."

Lin Dongfan also put on a devastated appearance.

This terrifying acting made Chang Ming's heart turn to ash in an instant; the door of the mortuary seemed to have no surveillance, and besides, this was an unconventional law enforcement action, so no one was wearing a law enforcement recorder.

If Lin Dongfan is determined today to spit blood and accuse others, even jumping into the Yellow River couldn't wash it away.

In despair.

Chang Ming turned his gaze to Leng Chuan: "Director Leng, you saw it—I really didn't kick him; he's shamelessly framing me..."

"I'm old, my eyesight isn't great—who brought eye drops?" Leng Chuan rubbed his eyes, as if they were really dry and uncomfortable.

Chang Ming's defenses broke instantly, and he retorted: "Director Leng! You're only in your forties, why pretend to have old eyes?! You're also a leader; in such a matter of principle, how can you feign ignorance?!"

"I'm not feigning ignorance; I'm really confused. Who says someone in their forties can't have old eyes?" Leng Chuan put on a speechless expression.

"Don't bully people too much!"

Chang Ming's face flushed red with anger, he almost spat out a mouthful of old blood on the spot.

He now understood: when one is utterly base, one becomes invincible—this is no joke! The reason he hasn't reached invincibility is that he isn't base enough, unable to commit the most base acts.

You lowlifes, you want to play, right?

Good!

I'll play with you to the end today!

In a fit of anger.

Chang Ming no longer begged Lin Dongfan to let go; he directly pulled out his phone and called Chu Jinsong: "Secretary Chu, can you control your son-in-law?"

"What's wrong with him?"

"What's wrong with him? Shameless! I didn't even touch him, yet he clings to my leg and won't let go, claiming I kicked him—utterly bewildering."

"So did you kick him or not?"

"No!"

"Then why is he clinging to your leg and not letting go?"

"He's obstructing official duties!"

"What official duties are you carrying out?"

"I..."

As soon as he spoke, Chang Ming fell silent again, desperately realizing that Chu Jinsong was digging a trap, and he almost jumped in like a fool.

Shang Weiliang died only at noon today; his family hasn't even seen the corpse, and now they're cremating him.

This matter shouldn't be brought into the open.

It can only be carried out covertly.

If I claim I'm performing an urgent cremation task, that's tantamount to selling myself out—I'll surely have to bear responsibility later.

Sinister!

Too damn sinister!

The Executive has no good people, and the Political and Legal Affairs Committee is no better!

Chang Ming, bursting with anger, put on a pose of putting the bigger picture first: "The Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government have directed that, to prevent the spread of public opinion, unrelated personnel are forbidden from contacting Shang Weiliang's corpse; you were present at the noon meeting. I hope you persuade your good son-in-law to leave the funeral home and stop stirring up trouble."

"Lin Dongfan, did you touch Shang Weiliang's corpse?" Chu Jinsong asked over the phone.

Chang Ming angrily replied: "He didn't touch Shang Weiliang's corpse, but he's causing a scene at the mortuary door, stirring up trouble! This matter..."

"Enough!"

Chu Jinsong's stern voice came over the phone: "Comrade Chang Ming, since Lin Dongfan didn't touch Shang Weiliang's corpse, why are you making such a fuss? If a little tantrum earns a charge of provoking trouble, our police force would be swamped—how many kids throw tantrums at school each day?"

"Your son-in-law isn't a kid!"

"In parents' eyes, he's always a child. If he offended you, I will surely criticize him sternly and have him apologize to you."

"Secretary Chu, what I want isn't his apology; I mean..."

"Alright, let's leave it at that; I'm still in a meeting."

Saying that, Chu Jinsong hung up the phone directly.

This time Chang Ming was utterly devastated—could he really keep calling Xiao Yunce?

Boss Xiao always looks only at results, never asks about the process!

If he finds out that this Prosecutor General can't even handle a petty Lin Dongfan, he'll surely curse him out—no doubt about it.

This really isn't a human way to live!

The more Chang Ming thought, the more devastated he became, lowering his head to look at Lin Dongfan clinging to his leg, on the verge of tears: "Ancestor, you are my ancestor! Can you let go? I really didn't kick you..."

"You did kick me—three kicks total, and I'm injured."

Lin Dongfan clung desperately, refusing to let go.

They remained entangled until past nine p. m., when the forensic doctor sent from the Provincial Department by Secretary Liang finally arrived at the funeral home—this person was Qin Feng, wearing a pair of delicate half-frame glasses.

Accompanying him were Qin Feng's assistant Xiao Li, a newcomer who had just started work.

Qin Feng saw Lin Dongfan lying on the ground hugging Chang Ming's thigh, and showed a look of surprise: "Prosecutor Chang, what are you doing……"

"Don't ask me, I don't know anything."

By this point, even if Chang Ming were obtuse, he would understand that today Lin Dongfan, this bastard, was playing the rogue just to buy time.

Chang Ming lowered his head.

Chang Ming asked Lin Dongfan glumly: "As you wish, the people from the Provincial Department have already arrived—aren't you going to let go? Do you really want me to kneel and kowtow to you?"

"Please don't, I don't have any red envelope on me."

Lin Dongfan got up, brushed the dust from his buttocks, light as a feather; the smirk curling at the corner of his mouth was like an invisible evil sword, which with a puff pierced Chang Ming's heart, leaving him grief-stricken beyond death.

Not wanting to say anything else, Chang Ming turned and walked away with a despondent heart.

Qin Feng suddenly shouted: "Prosecutor Chang, conducting an autopsy on Shang Weiliang's corpse is a directive from the Provincial Committee—are you guys not planning to participate as the investigating unit?"

"The autopsy is your responsibility; later I just want the autopsy report!"

Why stay? To be mocked by you? To watch your faces? A hundred thousand resentful feelings surged in Chang Ming's heart like stormy waves, each wave crashing against his heart.

Chang Ming left without looking back, his mood lower than when he returns to his hometown to sweep graves on Qingming Festival.

Qin Feng then asked Lin Dongfan with interest: "If I'm not mistaken, you were just stalling for time waiting for me, weren't you? You really have the gall."

"My brother is being framed; if I don't go to hell, who will?" Lin Dongfan turned, pushed open the door of the Peace Gate, made a gesturing motion to lead the way, and said: "Chief Forensic Qin, please."

"Thanks."

Qin Feng entered with his assistant.

At this moment……

Having just left the funeral home, Chang Ming was on the phone updating Mayor Xiao Yunce: "Mayor Xiao, the Provincial Committee has sent people to perform an autopsy on Shang Weiliang."

"Hasn't it been cremated yet?" Mayor Xiao Yunce asked over the phone.

Chang Ming explained helplessly: "Lin Dongfan turned around and bit me, accusing me of violent law enforcement, and on top of that, Leng Chuan pretended to be blind nearby. Although there were still a few prosecutors on the scene, they are my subordinates, also among those being framed, so they cannot testify for me. This situation has left me truly passive."

As expected.

Mayor Xiao Yunce opened with a sneer: "A bureau-level official, actually being bitten back by a lowly section chief! Prosecutor Chang, you really are a talent!"

Chang Ming really wanted to retort a couple of times, but he didn't dare.

He thought, "You bastard first framed Yang Qing, and now Lin Dongfan is copying your move, framing me in turn! Isn't all of this thanks to you, Mayor Xiao?"

"This is all the hornet's nest you stirred up yourself—what right do you have to mock me!"

Chang Ming, holding back a bellyful of grievance, spoke while walking: "Once the autopsy results come out, Yang Qing's case might change; I think this should be handled based on facts."

"You want to pull the ladder?"

"It's not that I want to pull the ladder, but you can't keep paper-wrapped fire hidden. Given the situation, the only thing we can do is arrest Hu Wei from the detention center and release Yang Qing."

"I estimate Yang Qing will commit suicide out of fear tonight; please cooperate."

The voice coming from the phone was very flat.

Yet it was precisely this flatness that invisibly conveyed a chilling sense of dread.

Chang Ming stood stunned in place, unable to speak for Along time.

So-called "I estimate" actually means "I want"; Mayor Xiao is issuing an order, not wanting Yang Qing to see tomorrow morning's sun.

After hanging up, Chang Ming's mood also plummeted to the bottom.

He belatedly realized that he had taken the wrong path from the start; if he had remained neutral all along, he wouldn't now be trapped in a dead end.

If Yang Qing dies in the procuratorate, wouldn't I become a scapegoat?

He pondered deeply for a while.

Chang Ming hastily bought a new phone card and sent an anonymous message to Chu Jinsong: "Yang Qing faces a deadly calamity tonight!"

Just a short sentence.

After sending it, he threw the phone card into the sewer.

Chang Ming's self-rescue method is simple:

Before the Executive's people make a move, as long as the political and legal system smoothly rescues Yang Qing, then I can give Mayor Xiao a reasonable explanation—not that I, Chang Ming, am unwilling to cooperate with you, but that the political and legal system has outplayed you by one move!