Chapter 51: Snakes and Rats in the Same Den

Luo Qiang has always had a thought, wanting to be transferred from the East River Brigade to the Detachment Office.

Once in the Detachment Office, he wouldn't have to breathe car exhaust on the big road every day.

Moreover, more importantly, after entering the office he would have more opportunities to contact superiors, and his promotion prospects would be greater.

Only Yin Qiuhong could help him realize this thought.

A few days ago Yin Qiuhong had already promised him she would think of a way to help. If something happened to Yin Qiuhong, his transfer would also come to nothing.

Lin Dongfan had heard all these inside details from Captain Wang.

Seeing Luo Qiang's cautious expression, Lin Dongfan knew this guy wasn't stupid either; to get him to cooperate fully today, he'd have to apply a bit more pressure.

Lin Dongfan picked up the two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes on the desk, using them as a warning bell, and lightly tapped the desk twice.

He warned calmly: "Your fate is in your own hands. If our Anti-Corruption Bureau handles this case, you cannot escape administrative or Party disciplinary penalties. Even if not expelled from both Party and position, you won't have a chance to be promoted within three years. Think it over before answering me; I also don't want to ruin your future."

Not being able to be promoted within three years—how the hell is that not ruining my future?

Luo Qiang felt utterly devastated inside.

He had seen shameless people before, but never someone this shameless; he really wanted to curse Lin Dongfan's ancestors eighteen generations over, yet he didn't dare provoke him.

With the leverage in others' hands, he still had to tuck his tail a bit.

Luo Qiang asked gloomily: "Is there any other option?"

"None."

Lin Dongfan gave a standard answer without hesitation: "If you're willing to atone through meritorious service, your case will be handled internally by your Traffic Police Brigade. If you don't want to atone through meritorious service, then we'll have to work harder and seriously handle your case. Those two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes and two thousand yuan in cash are merely the current evidence. Later we'll re-examine the traffic cases you've handled, dig deep, and should be able to……"

"You're threatening me!"

Luo Qiang's eyes filled with hatred, he interrupted Lin Dongfan's words.

Lin Dongfan said: "I gave you the chance to atone through meritorious service, yet you say I'm threatening you—was your reading comprehension taught by a PE teacher?"

"Surname Lin, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river! Don't push things too far." Luo Qiang snapped.

Lin Dongfan repeatedly pressed: "Yin Qiuhong can barely protect herself now, yet you still expect her to pull you out. I think this is absurd. If you can't grasp this, you're essentially opposing the organization."

Upon mentioning opposition to the organization, Luo Qiang's heart instantly turned to ashes.

For someone within the system, this is an unbearable huge hat that could crush a person at any moment.

He just couldn't understand how, having taken only two packs of cigarettes plus two thousand yuan in cash, he got dragged into the murky 9·28 Forest Fire Case.

Oh, no……

The fuse, it seemed, was checking for drunk driving—no rabbit caught, but instead got bitten by a rabbit.

The more Luo Qiang thought, the more depressed he became: "Can I smoke a cigarette?"

"Sure."

Having held back for so long, Lin Dongfan actually wanted to smoke one too, to ease the tense atmosphere.

Those two packs of soft Zhonghua on the desk definitely cannot be opened.

He could only pay out of his own pocket.

Lin Dongfan and Luo Qiang each smoked their own cigarettes; Luo Qiang's were better—he smoked He Tianxia, while Lin Dongfan smoked Li Qun.

Lin Dongfan laughed: "Your days as traffic police are just moist."

"Don't make wild guesses; this pack of cigarettes was a gift from a friend."

Luo Qiang glanced at the silent Jian Sining, then shifted his gaze to Lin Dongfan.

He gave a wry smile: "Today I've fallen into your hands—consider me unlucky. I just wonder how you knew there were Zhonghua cigarettes and an envelope in my car?"

"There are plenty of things you can't figure out." Lin Dongfan laughed: "My advice is this: for things you can't figure out, don't go wild guessing; it can save a few brain cells."

"Fine, consider me unlucky."

Luo Qiang took another strong drag of smoke, and the gloomy air filled the whole room.

Lin Dongfan said: "Tomorrow, go with me to Green Bamboo Village to see your father-in-law. He's also an old party member at the grassroots level; tell him not to act foolishly."

Luo Qiang's father-in-law Yang Shouli will be celebrating his sixtieth birthday in a few days.

Though he's called an elderly person, his energy is still strong.

Having served as village chief in Green Bamboo Village for over a decade, Yang Shouli is also a prominent figure in the village; although he has no sons, both his daughters married into iron-rice-bowl jobs.

His eldest son-in-law Peng Junhua is the principal of East River Town Central Primary School.

His youngest son-in-law Luo Qiang is a traffic officer in the East River Brigade.

The only thing that makes Yang Shouli feel embarrassed is that his eldest son-in-law behaves improperly—upon seeing a somewhat attractive woman, he harbors lustful thoughts, coaxes and deceives her, and seizes any opportunity to sleep with her.

Last year's Mid-Autumn Festival.

Originally a day for family reunion, the eldest son-in-law Peng Junhua leapt into the neighboring Yang Shoushan's house, throwing Yang Shoushan's wife Liu Hong onto the woodshed floor and forcibly raping her.

As a result, the eldest daughter Yang Xiaoyun caught him in the act.

That night.

Yang Xiaoyun dragged Liu Hong out of the woodshed; the two pulled each other's hair and tore clothes, fighting like a shameless shrew with bloodshot eyes—doing whatever was unbecoming.

They made a huge scene, turning it into a laughingstock for the whole village.

The two families were originally cousins.

After that they became sworn enemies who would never have dealings again until death.

Now the Yang Shoushan family has suffered a great disaster: Yang Shoushan was burned to death in the fire, his son Yang Tao went missing while petitioning, and his daughter-in-law Liu Hong hasn't rested either—she once ran to the provincial government's gate to hold up a sign.

Yang Shouli feels that the Liu Hong couple causing trouble everywhere is just because they don't want to pay compensation.

The feud between the two families has only grown deeper.

The more fiercely the Liu Hong couple causes trouble, the worse Yang Shouli's days as village chief become, with superiors periodically naming and criticizing him, applying considerable pressure.

Therefore, Yang Shouli strongly supports Li Hengbo's series of measures.

The next day at noon.

Yang Shouli told his wife to make several more dishes.

Good wine and good food were used to entertain Li Hengbo: "Secretary Li, you are now the village's first secretary. Whatever you arrange for village affairs, I will follow."

"Speaking frankly, if Liu Hong continues to cause trouble like this, it really is a bit tactless." Li Hengbo said: "Now the government has advanced funds to compensate her family, and no one is chasing her for debts, so what does she have to be dissatisfied about?"

"That makes sense."

Yang Shouli took a sip of wine and a bite of food, eating and drinking very much at ease.

He probably also didn't expect that his son-in-law Luo Qiang, Lin Dongfan and others were on their way. Thinking of Liu Hong's shameless wretch, his anger welled up from nowhere.

Wretch!

These two words are Yang Shouli's utmost contempt and disdain for a woman; in the whole village, only Liu Hong deserves such an evaluation.

Liu Hong, who almost caused his eldest daughter to divorce Peng Junhua.

Now it still causes him to be named and criticized by superiors every day.

Whenever he thinks of these worrisome matters, Yang Shouli wants to follow the ancients' example, dragging Liu Hong to be drowned in a pig basket to vent his hatred.

Yang Shouli said angrily:

"The nine households not on the list are all reasonable. As for that wretch Liu Hong, since the anti-corruption bureau people came to our village, her confidence has been growing stronger. I think she now not only doesn't want to pay compensation, but also wants to turn the situation around and extort a fortune. This corrupt trend must be suppressed."

"In my opinion, Liu Hong mainly has a mental problem."

Li Hengbo said it as if it were true.

He then proposed: "Village chief, do you think this would work? In the name of the village committee, call the psychiatric hospital in Nanzhou City and have Liu Hong sent there for treatment."

"Haha, Secretary Li, you young people are quick-witted and have a way." Yang Shouli raised his cup: "Come, come, come, I'll toast you."

Li Hengbo clinked cups with a smile and said nothing more.

The village accountant suddenly ran in to report urgently: "Secretary Li, village chief, Liu Hong is coming this way with a kitchen knife, impossible to stop; should we avoid her?"

"What to avoid? Perfect timing—I was just worrying about how to get hold of her!" Yang Shouli ordered: "She's having a fit; go find a thicker rope and tie her up! Send her to the psychiatric hospital."