Chapter 718

At 2:05 a. m., beneath Building 3 of Area B, Splendid Jiangnan.

The police line had been pulled up a second cordon, red and blue warning lights rotating silently in the night, casting each person's face at the scene in alternating light and dark.

The air was thick with tension, like a string pulled to its limit.

Two groups faced off in front of the unit door.

One side was the "Clean Wind" Special Inspection Team led by Peng Tianhua, together with the bodyguards brought by Lin Dongfan. Although few in number, each person's eyes showed the determination to carry out the mission.

The other side was more than twenty criminal investigators led by Wu Zhou Municipal Public Security Bureau Deputy Chief Liu Shu, who spread out in a semicircle, firmly guarding the unit door behind them.

Liu Shu stood at the front, his expression solemn, his walkie-talkie occasionally broadcasting reports from various points, yet he never allowed anyone to enter the building.

Time quietly passed.

"Chief Liu, dragging this out like this isn't a solution."

Peng Tianhua glanced at his watch, his voice cold and heavy: "Every minute we delay, Li Shuting's danger increases by one point. Li Hengbo is a desperate fugitive at the end of his rope; he'll do anything."

Liu Shu remained unmoved: "Team Leader Peng, Secretary Li is already on the way. He demands that we maintain the status quo until he arrives. As both the top official of Wu Zhou and a hostage's family member, he has the authority to decide how to handle this."

"Family member?" Lin Dongfan suddenly spoke, his tone giving no hint of emotion: "So, Secretary Li means to replace legal procedure with family sentiment?"

Liu Shu's face stiffened: "Mr. Lin, watch your words! Secretary Li is a leader of the Wu Zhou Municipal Party Committee; he has full authority to command the entire bureau!"

"In this emergency, we can't wait any longer." Peng Tianhua stepped forward, his voice suddenly rising: "Comrade Liu Shu, in my capacity as head of the 'Clean Wind' Special Inspection Team, I demand that you immediately clear the passage and let our inspection team take over the scene! Li Hengbo is suspected of bribery, intentional murder, kidnapping, endangering public safety, and multiple other serious crimes. This is a major cross-provincial criminal case that must be under unified command by us!"

"Sorry, Team Leader Peng."

Liu Shu stood straight, unyielding: "According to the Criminal Procedure Law and the Regulations on Procedures for Public Security Organs Handling Criminal Cases, criminal cases fall under the jurisdiction of the public security organ where the crime occurred. Here, that is Wu Zhou!"

Both sides were on the verge of drawing swords.

Just then, a black Audi A8 burst through the night, screeching to a halt outside the police line.

The car door opened, and Li Zhenyang stepped out.

He wore a dark administrative jacket, his hair neatly combed, but the bloodshot eyes and slightly furrowed brows exposed his true state at that moment.

"Secretary Li!" Liu Shu immediately stepped forward.

Li Zhenyang waved his hand and walked straight to Peng Tianhua and Lin Dongfan. His gaze first fell on Peng Tianhua, paused for two seconds, then shifted to Lin Dongfan.

That gaze was extremely complex—containing anger from coercion, anxiety for his daughter's safety, and a resolve driven to desperation, unwilling to back down.

"Team Leader Peng, Mr. Lin," Li Zhenyang said, his voice hoarse but steady: "I basically understand the situation. From this moment on, the scene will be taken over by our Wu Zhou City Bureau. Please withdraw."

Peng Tianhua's expression turned serious, slightly angry: "Secretary Li, Li Hengbo is a major-case suspect involved in multiple homicides; our inspection team..."

"Team Leader Peng!"

Li Zhenyang coldly raised his voice, cutting off Peng Tianhua's words.

Although Peng Tianhua was sent down from the central Z authority, his own rank wasn't high, roughly equivalent to an imperial censure inspector.

As a regional high official, Li Zhenyang truly didn't regard him highly.

"The duty of the inspection team is supervision and inspection, not frontline case handling. Moreover, this is a criminal case that occurred within our Wu Zhou jurisdiction, so it should fall under the Wu Zhou Municipal Public Security Bureau. Team Leader Peng, if you have supervisory opinions on our city's case-handling process, you may raise them afterward. Now, please withdraw from the scene promptly."

Li Zhenyang's attitude was extremely forceful; his words were watertight.

He both acknowledged the inspection team's supervisory right and firmly grasped the legal basis of 'territorial jurisdiction,' completely blocking Peng Tianhua's justification for intervention.

Peng Tianhua's face turned dark, about to argue further, but Lin Dongfan lightly pressed his arm.

"Secretary Li is right," Lin Dongfan said, looking at Li Zhenyang, even the corner of his mouth hinting at a faint smile: "This is Wu Zhou's affair; it ought to be handled by Wu Zhou, and outsiders indeed should not overstep."

As soon as he spoke, not only Peng Tianhua was stunned, but Li Zhenyang's eyes also flashed with a hint of surprise.

Lin Dongfan, who ought to have been a staunch opponent,

actually stepped back.

What trick is he trying to play now?

Li Zhenyang harbored doubts, steadied his gaze on Lin Dongfan, and went along with the flow, saying: "Then please have the two of you retreat to a safe distance; the ensuing negotiation and handling will be left to our Wu Zhou police."

"All right." Lin Dongfan nodded, turned and had taken only two steps when he suddenly turned back with a smile: "However, Secretary Li, there's something I need to remind you..."

"Please go ahead."

"Li Hengbo is now an outright madman." Lin Dongfan fixed his eyes on Li Zhenyang, enunciating each word: "A madman won't follow anyone's script. You want to negotiate with him, but in his eyes, you might be the one who most deserves to die."

"!!!"

Li Zhenyang's pupils contracted slightly, but he quickly regained composure, coldly replying: "Thank you for the reminder; I know my limits."

Having said that, Li Zhenyang turned and ordered Liu Shu: "Clear the scene, push the police line outward thirty meters. Bring in the negotiation experts; I want to speak with Li Hengbo myself."

"Yes!"

Police began to disperse onlookers and media—unknown when, several local media outlet vans had arrived, long guns and short cannons aimed at the scene.

Lin Dongfan and Peng Tianhua retreated to the green belt fifty meters away.

"Boss Fan, are you really just letting go like that?" Lao Ba lowered his voice, full of reluctance: "Li Zhenyang obviously wants to control Li Hengbo in his own hands, then..."

"Then silence him, or send him abroad." Lin Dongfan calmly replied: "I know."

"Then you still..."

"Let the bullets fly." Watching Li Zhenyang walk toward the unit door under the escort of the Wu Zhou police, Lin Dongfan's eyes grew much colder: "Some plays need the actors to perform fully before the audience can understand the ending."

Saying that, Lin Dongfan turned his head toward Peng Tianhua.

He decisively issued the order: "Old Peng, immediately activate the eavesdropping program, focusing on monitoring the conversation between Li Zhenyang and Li Hengbo, all commands from Liu Shu, and all non-police personnel approaching the 28th floor."

Upon hearing this, Peng Tianhua frowned slightly, as if only now understanding Lin Dongfan's intention.

He questioned: "Are you deliberately letting Li Zhenyang go in?"

"Li Zhenyang thinks he already has everything under control." Lin Dongfan gave a faint smile: "Actually, he's walking into a bigger trap."

"What trap?" Peng Tianhua pressed.

Lin Dongfan didn't answer directly, but instead asked: "Old Peng, if you were Li Zhenyang, what would you most want to do right now?"

Peng Tianhua pondered for a moment: "First, ensure his daughter's safety. Second, keep Li Hengbo under control so he doesn't fall into our hands. Third... silence him, eliminating future trouble."

Yes

Lin Dongfan nodded and smiled, saying, "But will Li Hengbo let him succeed so easily? A person who can personally shoot his own ex-wife—would he believe an ally who just betrayed him?"

As he spoke, Lin Dongfan looked toward the lit window on the 28th floor.

Continuing his analysis, he said: "Between Li Zhenyang and Li Hengbo, there will inevitably be a contest. I can fully exploit this contest to further learn Li Zhenyang's hidden cards and Li Hengbo's next move."

Peng Tianhua nodded in deep agreement, said nothing more, and immediately ordered his subordinates to monitor the scene. Although doing so was somewhat risky, the arrow was on the bow; we had no choice but to release it.

A few minutes later...

Commanding the scene, Liu Shu reported to Li Zhenyang, "Secretary Li, the negotiation expert is in place and has established contact with the suspect."

Having said that, he handed the dedicated phone to Li Zhenyang.

Li Zhenyang took the phone, first turned on the speakerphone, as if he were pure and upright, having never done any shady deeds in his life.

Getting straight to the point, he said, "Li Hengbo, it's me. I'm downstairs right now. What are your conditions? You can state them now."

28th floor.

Li Hengbo leaned by the window, pulled back a corner of the curtain, and looked down at the familiar figure below, smiling.

"Secretary Li truly keeps his word."

Li Hengbo said into the phone, "My conditions are simple: first, withdraw all police, especially the patrol team and Lin Dongfan's people; second, prepare a fully fueled off-road vehicle and park it at the rear gate of the residential complex; third, give me five million in cash, in unmarked old bills; fourth..."

He paused, his voice suddenly turning cold: "I want you to personally escort me out of the city; as long as I safely leave Wu Zhou's jurisdiction, release Shu Ting immediately."

As his words fell, an uproar broke out across the scene.

Having the chief of Wu Zhou personally escort a fugitive out of the city? That's nothing short of a fantasy!

Li Zhenyang's face turned ashen instantly.

But his hand holding the phone was surprisingly steady.

"Li Hengbo." Li Zhenyang spoke slowly, his strong, resonant voice echoing through the night: "You're making a last-ditch stand!"

"I'm not making a last-ditch stand; otherwise, should I just wait for death?" Li Hengbo chuckled lightly: "Secretary Li, I advise you to stop grandstanding here. If you keep provoking me over and over, I might end up speaking without restraint. If I say something inappropriate, you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

Silence

Along silence

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Li Zhenyang's reply

Lin Dongfan stood in the distance, quietly watching the scene, the smile at the corner of his mouth growing more natural

The show has finally begun