Chapter 300: Cannon Fodder Fate

Lin Dongfan sat in the interrogation chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the mottled wooden table; the silver metal handcuffs made a crisp sound as his fingers moved.

He gazed at Luo Qiang's face, which was livid with anger.

He curled the corner of his mouth in a mocking arc: "Officer Luo, do you now believe in karma?"

"Don't get cocky, you bastard!" Luo Qiang tore at his collar, which was tight enough to choke him, veins bulging on his neck: "Although Lieutenant General Lin summoned you personally, don't think having a backer means…"

"A backer?" Lin Dongfan burst into loud laughter, shaking the iron bars with a hum: "Let me tell you what a backer is—my backer is a conscience for integrity and anti‑corruption! It's the seal of the Anti‑Corruption Bureau! It's me walking upright and sitting properly, not fearing you low‑life scum who try to flip the script!"

Speaking, Lin Dongfan shifted the topic.

He coldly snapped: "And you, Comrade Luo Qiang—now you should think about how to get past this hurdle! Who gave you the nerve to obstruct the task force's crackdown on tigers and flies?"

The thunderous reprimand made Luo Qiang stagger backward, his lower back hitting the interrogation recorder.

Just then.

The interview room door was flung open, and Bureau Chief Huang of the Jinling Branch Bureau stormed in, roaring: "Luo Qiang! What are you doing? Release him at once!"

Release him?

Luo Qiang stared dumbfounded—how did it change like that?

Just a moment ago we were told to take Lin Dongfan to see Lieutenant General Lin; in the blink of an eye, how did it suddenly become releasing him?

Luo Qiang asked resentfully: "Bureau Chief Huang, Wang Minjuan's whereabouts are unknown, and this bastard Lin Dongfan is suspected of murder—how can you just say 'release him'? This…"

"Slap!!"

A sudden slap across the face cut off Luo Qiang's voice.

Bureau Chief Huang glared with both eyes: "Who do you think you are? What evidence do you have that Section Chief Lin is suspected of murder? I told you to release him—just do it, where do you get all this nonsense?"

"!!!"

His cheek burned from the slap, Luo Qiang gritted his teeth and stayed silent, not daring to utter a sound, nor did he undo Lin Dongfan's handcuffs; he stood there, a reluctant victim of anger, motionless.

He had a hint of wanting to be stubborn to the end.

"Slap!"

Bureau Chief Huang swung another slap at him.

This slap was harder than the last, snapping Luo Qiang's head to the side and leaving a clear five‑finger mark on his face.

Bureau Chief Huang shouted: "Unlock the handcuffs and release him at once!"

"!!!"

This was undoubtedly Luo Qiang's most breaking point; he had originally thought that solving the cases of Lin Dongfan and Yang Qing would make him famous, a rising star in Nanzhou's public security system.

He hadn't even caught a whiff of that bloody smell when the terrifying cleaver fell.

Oh, how ruthless the people of officialdom are!

The one who used to fawn over Secretary Gao like a lapdog was you, Bureau Chief Huang; the one who today stabbed Secretary Gao in the back is also you, Bureau Chief Huang!

He flung the black pot onto my head, making himself spotless!

Am I born to be cannon fodder?

The painful realization made Luo Qiang's heart feel like it was being cut by a knife; unable to bear it yet forced to endure, he obediently helped Lin Dongfan undo the handcuffs, the whole process feeling like a nightmare.

Once the handcuffs were undone.

Lin Dongfan rubbed his wrists, reddened by the cuffs, and asked the ashen‑faced Luo Qiang with a smile: "Officer Luo, do you remember what I said when I entered the detention center? The waters of the underworld run deep—think carefully before you wade into them. Those who want to kill me are as numerous as cow hairs, but you, Luo Qiang, are too low‑ranked even to qualify for the line."

"!!!"

Luo Qiang gritted his teeth, head bowed, not daring to let out a single fart.

He had to admit that, in the operation to capture Lin Dongfan, he indeed harbored vengeful motives, causing him to underestimate Lin Dongfan's background.

"Get lost!"

Bureau Chief Huang suddenly flicked his hand, pushing the head‑down Luo Qiang to the side.

Afterwards…

Bureau Chief Huang, like an upright Qing official, apologized to Lin Dongfan: "Section Chief Lin, the investigation has cleared you—Wang Minning's disappearance has nothing to do with you; you may leave now. My subordinates handled the case carelessly, causing you much suffering; I sincerely apologize, this is all due to my lax supervision."

"Bureau Chief Huang, cut the act."

Lin Dongfan could figure this out even with his asshole: Bureau Chief Huang merely smelled the impending corruption of Gao Peng and switched sides at the last moment.

With such shamelessness, whoever relies on you is an idiot!

Lin Dongfan added indifferently: "I already said it—unless Gao Peng himself comes begging, there's nothing to discuss! I'm staying in the detention center; I'm not going anywhere."

This is the classic case of inviting a deity easy, sending him away hard.

Bureau Chief Huang, like a grandson, accompanied him with an embarrassed smile: "Section Chief Lin, you're already cleared; if you stay and don't leave, that really isn't appropriate…"

"When you arrested me, why didn't you say it was inappropriate?"

"This…"

"Speak boldly, don't hem and haw—I like hearing you make excuses."

"Section Chief Lin, frankly, Secretary Gao will never come here personally to beg you. You'd be better off going out to avenge your past humiliation."

"Damn!"

"Am I wrong?"

"Right, you damn it, you actually make sense."

"Then please, lift your noble foot and follow me. I'll clear the way with a police car and personally escort you to Xianren Ridge. Lieutenant General Lin awaits you there; today is your joyous day of returning to your ancestral roots."

"No."

"No? What's wrong?"

"Just releasing me isn't enough—Yang Qing is innocent too, he must be released as well."

"This…"

"Can't release him?"

Section Chief Lin, Yang Qing really did fire a gun at the Wang family's place—there are bullet casings at the scene as evidence. Now Wang Minlin's life or death is unknown; before we find her, Yang Qing cannot be released for the time being. I hope you can understand.

I don't understand a thing, ah. What logic do you have, you motherfucker? At the time I was with Yang Qing, I'm the witness! I can prove Yang Qing just killed a dog.

This...

You're hesitating slowly; if you don't release the person today, I'm not going anywhere.

Saying that, Lin Dongfan sat down heavily on the interrogation chair; this roguish attitude left Chief Huang so worried he felt like he had two big heads, with no solution at all.

Thinking that Lieutenant General Lin was still waiting for Lin Dongfan at Immortal Ridge.

Chief Huang steeled himself, thinking, "If I'm going to die, I'll die! Releasing one person is releasing, releasing two is also releasing!" That old saying goes well: "When the wind blows, one side falls; whoever lacks tact is a fool."

Thinking of that.

Chief Huang on the spot ordered Luo Qiang: "What are you standing here stupidly for? Hurry up and release the person!"

!!!

Luo Qiang held it in like a grandson the whole time, not daring to fart even once, then turned and went to the detention center staff to handle the release procedures.

Ten minutes later.

Lin Dongfan, at the detention center gate, saw Yang Qing, who had been released without charge.

Chief Huang personally opened the police car door and respectfully invited the two big shots to get in: "Section Chief Lin, it's getting late; Lieutenant General Lin is still waiting, please get in the car."

Nobody paid him any attention.

Yang Qing looked back at the detention center, fuming: "I'm a detective, yet I was sent in here—what a huge disgrace!"

"Same shame, so little master decides to avenge this humiliation, must fuck his mother's vagina!" Lin Dongfan lit a cigarette and leisurely instructed Yang Qing: "I'll first go to Immortal Ridge to pay respects to ancestors; you go to Clear Lake Guesthouse to find Peng Tianhua. Hand over Gao Lu's statement to him, and have him apply to the Supreme Procuratorate for an arrest warrant."

Arrest Gao Peng.

Yeah, send him a one-way big gift package.

Overbearing!

In the midst of talking and laughing, Yang Qing raised a hand to give Lin Dongfan an improper salute, then lifted his leg and walked off, preparing to hail a taxi at the intersection.