Chapter 546

In the next two days, the Anti-Corruption Bureau acted swiftly and decisively.

Lin Dongfan's order was to thoroughly investigate Qiao Lianzhou's corruption, but in the actual operation, Jian Sining and Peng Tianhua did not take direct action against Qiao Lianzhou.

Arresting someone requires evidence!

Jian Sining led a team stationed at the Yuezhou City Procuratorate, knocking on office after office, continually asking the procuratorate staff to 'have tea'.

Although the talk atmosphere was not as tense as an interrogation,

that invisible pressure filled the entire procuratorate with an atmosphere of panic.

When the topic turned to Qiao Lianzhou, although most people shook their heads saying they 'didn't know' or 'just follow procedure',

everyone understood deep down that the higher-ups were serious, and Qiao Lianzhou was doomed!

As for Peng Tianhua's side, all kinds of rumors were flying.

Today he went to the gym for 'research', tomorrow he went to the bank to 'understand the situation', and the day after that he somehow heard gossip about the maid's distant cousin's girlfriend's classmate from Qiao Lianzhou's household……

Although these things sound unreliable, the psychological pressure they brought to Qiao Lianzhou was real! As a certain Confucian said, it's like a thorn in the back, a bone in the throat, sitting on pins and needles!

This high-pressure situation lasted exactly three days.

The morning of the third day.

Jian Sining went as usual to the city procuratorate to talk to people, but was informed by her subordinate Xiao Liu: 'Section Chief Jian, Prosecutor Qiao didn't come to work today, and no one answered the phone……'

Jian Sining froze: 'Did he take leave?'

Xiao Liu shook his head, carefully analyzing: 'No leave request. His phone is off, the home landline also unanswered, he's out of contact…… You think he might……'

From this to that, Xiao Liu stopped himself from making an inauspicious guess.

But the meaning of his words was clear: Qiao Lianzhou had a prior suicide attempt, and these days he's under investigation pressure—could he be thinking of doing something drastic?

Jian Sining's heart gave a jolt.

She immediately took out her phone and called Lin Dongfan: 'Senior brother, Qiao Lianzhou has lost contact……'

'Lost contact?'

When Lin Dongfan received Jian Sining's call, he had just finished eating a steamed bun.

Lin Dongfan pressed: 'Have you checked his home?'

'The people at his unit say they can't reach him, and no one answers his home phone.' Jian Sining said urgently.

Lin Dongfan's brows instantly knit, a bad premonition surging up. He turned to Peng Tianhua, who was still drinking soy milk, and asked: 'Old Peng, did you send someone to watch Qiao's place last night?'

'Guarding against fire, theft, and escape is necessary.' Peng Tianhua replied firmly: 'Last night I sent two young officers to stake out; they stayed in their car outside all night. What's up, Boss Lin?'

'Qiao Lianzhou didn't go to work today and has lost contact. Immediately contact the stakeout team and ask what's happening.' Lin Dongfan ordered.

Peng Tianhua didn't dare delay, immediately pulled out his phone, dialed, and put it on speaker.

The call was quickly connected.

From the other side came the slightly dazed voice of a young officer: 'Section Chief Peng……'

'Don't sleep! What's the situation at Qiao Lianzhou's home? Is anyone still inside?' Peng Tianhua shouted anxiously.

'He… should be in there…' The other party seemed to just wake up, then hurriedly reported: 'Last night we saw the light in his room on until late, it seemed he even argued with his wife, the sound of things being smashed was loud. This morning before dawn, his wife pulled out a large suitcase and drove off angrily. Qiao Lianzhou didn't come out with her; we've been watching, and we haven't seen him leave—his car is still parked downstairs.'

'He didn't leave?' Lin Dongfan's heart gave a jolt, he snatched the phone and asked: 'What about the curtains? Are they drawn?'

The stakeout officer replied: 'They're drawn, always drawn, we can't see inside.'

'Bad!'

Lin Dongfan shoved the phone back into Peng Tianhua's hand and hurriedly led the team toward Qiao's residence.

Around nine in the morning.

Lin Dongfan and Peng Tianhua, with several officers, rushed to Qiao's home and pounded on the door several times: 'Qiao Lianzhou, I'm Lin Dongfan, open up!'

No one answered from inside.

'Damn, could he really be in there planning to do something drastic?' Peng Tianhua stared at the thick door panel, suddenly a bit flustered: 'Boss Lin, what do we do? This door looks pretty solid.'

Lin Dongfan's face darkened, he stepped forward, pressed his ear to the door and listened carefully, then sniffed intently.

Suddenly his face changed: 'Don't light a cigarette! There's a gas smell!'

Everyone instantly fell silent, holding their breath, and indeed they smelled an extremely faint yet intensely irritating gas odor seeping from the door crack.

'Holy shit!' Peng Tianhua's hairs stood on end: 'This old bastard really doesn't want to live, and maybe wants to drag the whole building down with him?'

'No more nonsense!' Lin Dongfan made a snap decision: 'Break the door down!'

'Understood!'

Peng Tianhua stepped back two steps, took a deep breath, and the next second he charged forward like a furious bull in a bullring!

His 200‑jin weight was his core power, using his right shoulder as the impact point.

Bang!!!

A huge thud echoed, the whole hallway seemed to shake! Damn, this rich person's renovation is particular—the door is actually solid wood.

Although the lock area made a strange noise, the door didn't burst open.

'Ow, my shoulder's numb.'

Peng Tianhua rubbed his numb shoulder, glanced at Lin Dongfan, and said: 'Boss Lin, want to try your punching power?'

'Try your grandpa, hurry up!'

The gas smell in the air grew stronger, and Lin Dongfan couldn't afford to delay even a moment.

'Damn it! Let's go all out!'

Peng Tianhua gritted his teeth, stepped back again, this time mustering all his strength like an enraged wild boar, roaring as he slammed into the door once more.

Boom—crack!!!

Accompanied by a huge bang, the strike plate box mounted on the door frame, together with a piece of wood from the frame, were blown off, and the door flew open!

From now on, whoever looks down on a fat person will be dragged out and fed to the livestock.

Old Peng has already proved with strength that a move like this "Wild Boar Charge" relies on weight advantage! If we swapped in a over‑100‑catty mortal grandpa to do this, he'd definitely not be able to break through.

As soon as the door opened, a suffocating smell of gas came rushing over.

"Qiao Lianzhou!"

Lin Dongfan covered his mouth and nose, and was the first to rush in.

Inside the house the curtains were tightly shut, the light dim, the living room empty of anyone, and the pungent gas smell was emanating from the kitchen.

Lin Dongfan held his breath and rushed into the kitchen, only to see the valve on the stove wide open, gas hissing as it spewed out continuously, while Qiao Lianzhou lay collapsed on the kitchen floor, his face ashen, his lips an ominous bluish‑purple, already unconscious! Beside him lay an empty bottle of sleeping pills that had rolled aside.

"Old Peng, open the windows quickly! Open all the windows!"

Lin Dongfan shouted while tightening the gas valve, then finally crouched to check Qiao Lianzhou's carotid artery and pupil reaction to light.

The pupils constricted slightly — he wasn't dead yet.

Lin Dongfan shouted again: "Call an ambulance! Lift him!"

Several procurator officers rushed in, lifting Qiao Lianzhou like a corpse to an open spot outside, where fresh air could help save his life.

Peng Tianhua muttered angrily: "Damn! Gas plus sleeping pills — is he afraid he won't die thoroughly enough? If serving the people came with this kind of death‑defying will, how could he have ended up like this?"