Chapter 626: Arresting Wu Changsheng

The news that Haishan Shi had lifted the citywide lockdown spread like a sudden spring breeze, instantly blowing through every corner of the city, and naturally it also blew into the stuffy little room where Wu Changsheng was hiding.

"Unsealed! Damn! Finally unsealed!"

Wu Changsheng stared at the phone news push, excited to the point of almost jumping up from his chair; the days of panic and oppression vanished, replaced by an almost manic excitement.

He grabbed at it like a lifeline and immediately dialed Xu Jijun's encrypted phone.

"G Xiansheng, did you see the news? The citywide traffic controls have been lifted; please arrange my exit immediately—I don't want to stay another minute in this damned place!"

Wu Changsheng's voice trembled slightly from excitement, and he spoke extremely fast.

On the other end of the phone.

Xu Jijun's voice was unusually calm, even carrying a hint of caution: "Wu Changsheng, don't get so excited. I saw the news of the lifting, but it might not be a good thing."

Wu Changsheng froze, his enthusiasm doused like a bucket of cold water: "What do you mean? If this isn't good, do we have to wait for them to lock the city down again before it's good?"

Xu Jijun pondered: "Lin Dongfan was just suspended for investigation, and Haishan immediately lifted the lockdown. I suspect a trick—their goal is to make us lower our guard and draw the snake out of its hole."

"Draw the snake out of its hole?" Wu Changsheng replied dismissively: "G Xiansheng, are you being overly cautious, or are you overestimating Lin Dongfan? I think they can't hold on and have no choice but to lift the lockdown."

"Better safe than sorry." Xu Jijun's tone left no room for doubt: "I know Lin Dongfan better than you do. Good things aren't rushed—wait a few more days, then see how things go."

"Wait longer?!"

Wu Changsheng's voice nearly cracked, filled with despair and anger: "G Xiansheng, let me be blunt—are you incapable of getting me out of the country, or are you just making excuses to delay?"

"You can only choose to believe me." Xu Jijun said and then hung up.

This cold attitude left Wu Changsheng feeling utterly lost—just recalling that he used to be the Provincial Committee Secretary, always in control of others' fates, now the tables have turned.

Damn it!

Indeed, when you're under someone else's eaves, you have to bow your head!

These days are too damn long—every minute and second spent stuck inside, unable to go out and have fun, is pure damn torment! I'd love to carve a bloody path out myself, but there's no ammo in the gun.

Wu Changsheng slumped dejectedly onto the sofa, his eyes glazed; the more he thought about things, the more depressed he became.

He felt like a fierce beast trapped in a cage!

If the cage door had never been opened, not being able to leave would be understandable. But now the cage door stands open for him, and yet he still can't go out.

Or is he meant to die trapped in here?

The more he thought, the more unwilling he became; Wu Changsheng picked up his phone again to call G Xiansheng, but the call was rejected. In anger, he furiously threw his phone to the ground.

The phone screen cracked but didn't shatter!

The build quality is damn good—the screen still lit, and it didn't even crash.

On the other side, Xu Jijun was unusually calm, having deployed all his informants to closely monitor every move in Haishan Shi, especially Lin Dongfan's movements.

He waited silently for the real opportunity.

For the first few days, Lin Dongfan remained active in Haishan, but kept a low profile and rarely went out.

This made Xu Jijun even more vigilant.

He waited until the seventh day, when Xu Jijun received a crucial message: "At 2 p. m. today, Lin Dongfan and the others from the anti-corruption specialist team have already returned to Yue Prefecture."

After reading the message, Xu Jijun's lips curled into Along‑absent smile.

He picked up his phone and sent Huang Duoduo a message containing just four simple words: "Depart at dawn."

On the eighth day, at 4 a. m., when normal people are at their sleepiest, a silver‑gray minivan slipped out silently from its hiding place—the Municipal Party Committee staff residential compound.

The minivan headed west all the way toward the highway exit on the city's outskirts.

Because the Public Security Bureau had imposed exit controls on Wu Changsheng, normal channels were unavailable for leaving the country. Xu Jijun planned to first send Wu Changsheng to the southwest region, then slip across the border from northern Myanmar.

Huang Duoduo gripped the steering wheel with focus, his eyes wary as he scanned the rearview mirror and surroundings.

In the back seat, Wu Changsheng lowered his cap, covered his face with a mask, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst his chest—he had never been this tense in his life.

The vehicle drove smoothly toward the toll station, the entrance drawing ever closer.

The dawn of hope was right before his eyes; Wu Changsheng prayed all the way for a smooth passage, hoping no police would jump out mid‑journey.

Just as the minivan was about to enter the ETC lane,

a sudden change occurred!

The vehicles ahead, behind, and to both sides—seemingly unrelated—suddenly accelerated and changed lanes at once, instantly forming a tight encirclement that trapped the minivan in the middle!

A piercing siren shattered the morning's quiet, and the red‑blue lights on the roof began to flash!

Dozens of SWAT officers in tactical vests, holding riot guns, rushed in from both sides, their icy barrels locking onto the target!

"Stop the engine, hands on heads!"

The police's shout completely shattered Wu Changsheng's fantasy.

Driver Huang Duoduo's face also turned pale; he hesitated two seconds between turning off the engine or not, then chose to put his hands on his head—after all, he only had one life.

In the back seat, Wu Changsheng's soul had already fled at the instant the siren sounded.

Faced with the grim formation outside the window, he completely collapsed, his body going limp as he slumped onto the seat, a foul smell spreading in the cabin—he had urinated himself!

The vehicle doors were soon opened by the armed police, and the two were taken into custody without resistance.

Half an hour later.

Wu Changsheng was escorted to an interrogation room at the City Bureau.

Upon entering and seeing Lin Dongfan sitting inside, Wu Changsheng's face showed stark disbelief—"This bastard, wasn't he already back in Yue Prefecture?"

After giving it some thought, Wu Changsheng suddenly felt the anger of being played like a fool.

Not only was he duped, but G Xiansheng was too.

Damn it!

Having played with eagles all his life, he ended up getting his eyes pecked blind by an eagle!

Wu Changsheng glared angrily at Lin Dongfan sitting opposite: "To catch me, you've really gone to great lengths! You actually dug such a huge pit for me."

"Don't overestimate yourself—this pit wasn't dug for you, but for G Xiansheng; at best you're just a small fry."

Lin Dongfan's contempt made Wu Changsheng's anger flare up again, and he jumped to his feet, ready to strike.

From behind came a sudden angry shout: "What do you want? Sit down!" Two prosecutors pressed down, one on Wu Changsheng's left shoulder, the other on his right shoulder.

They forced him down into the chair, and he couldn't move at all.

Lin Dongfan smiled calmly and said, "Everyone who's dealt with me knows I'm no good person. If you don't want to suffer, I advise you to stay calm and cooperate fully."

"You motherfucker, you're nothing!" Wu Changsheng gritted his teeth and stared at Lin Dongfan.

Lin Dongfan replied unhurriedly: "Be good, don't just run your mouth—give me a statement. Next, I'll ask you three questions. You only need to answer yes or no, my dead egg?"

...!!!

Wu Changsheng still glared angrily, gritting his teeth with pent-up fury and nowhere to vent it.

Lin Dongfan asked: "First question, was the person who secretly helped you escape G Xiansheng?"

...!!!

Wu Changsheng clenched his teeth and stayed silent, not uttering a sound.

Lin Dongfan said: "Normally, if you truly repent and behave well, you should have a chance to get a suspended death sentence. If you insist on resisting the investigation, what awaits you is the death penalty, to be carried out immediately. Do you want to pit your life against mine? Think it over before answering—I have all the time in the world to play with you."

"You've been suspended, you have no right to interrogate me—I demand a different officer!" Wu Changsheng shouted angrily.

Lin Dongfan smiled without anger: "Who told you I've been suspended? Where's the official document? I haven't seen it. You, a former Provincial Committee Secretary, shouldn't be so clueless."