Chapter 727

A private room in a teahouse opposite the First Hospital of Wu Zhou City.

Lin Dongfan, Peng Tianhua, and Lao Ba sat around the table. On the table lay a map, with the expressway route from Wu Zhou to Jingcheng marked in red.

"The Wu Zhou side has requested a full escort." Peng Tianhua tapped the Wu Zhou urban area on the map with his fingertip: "This could be Li Zhenyang's signal to make a move."

Lao Ba frowned: "Boss Lin, if they want to strike, why are we still sending him to Jingcheng? Keeping him in the hospital and having someone watch him would be safer."

"If he stays in the hospital, Li Zhenyang has a hundred ways to make Li Hengbo die 'naturally'." Lin Dongfan shook his head and analyzed: "Medical accidents, postoperative infections, sudden complications—any excuse could get past. Only on the road, under everyone's eyes, will he reveal his flaw."

Peng Tianhua pondered: "I don't deny your idea of luring the snake out of its hole, but the risk is also great. Over a thousand kilometers of long-distance travel, even with covert protection, there will inevitably be lapses."

"So we must strike first."

Lin Dongfan drew a line on the map: "Leaving Wu Zhou, the first dangerous zone is the old national highway after leaving the city. There is a mountain stretch with complex road conditions, prone to accidents. The second zone is the service area after entering the neighboring province, where crowds mingle, making it easy to fish in troubled waters. The third—"

He paused.

His finger pointed to a spot two hundred kilometers from Jingcheng: "Here, the Qinglong Mountain Tunnel. It's three kilometers long, with no signal, an ideal spot for an attack."

"Then how should we respond?" Lao Ba asked.

Lin Dongfan looked at Peng Tianhua: "Old Peng, how many people can Li Mingtang's side mobilize?"

"The escorting special task force has six members, all with rich work experience." Peng Tianhua said: "Besides, we can coordinate along the way police to set up checkpoints at key nodes. But Li Zhenyang now demands that the Wu Zhou Police escort the whole way, so our involvement will be very limited."

"We don't need too many people." Lin Dongfan smiled: "We just need to place a few 'eyes' at the key spots."

Saying this, Lin Dongfan took out his phone and pulled up a list: "This is a list a friend compiled for me—within the Wu Zhou Public Security system, these are the people most likely to participate in this operation. Liu Shu is the overall commander, but he may not personally take action. The ones who will actually do the dirty work are probably these people."

The screen listed three names and photos.

Zhao Qiang—Criminal Investigation Detachment Chief.

Sun Wu—Special Police Assault Team member.

Zhou Bin—Traffic Police, chief of the Accident Division.

"These three were all promoted by Li Zhenyang personally, have clean backgrounds, but each has leverage held by Li Zhenyang." Lin Dongfan scrolled the screen: "Zhao Qiang's son is studying in the United States, with unclear funding sources. Sun Wu handled an assault-on-police case five years ago, shooting and killing a suspect, but the scene evidence is questionable. Zhou Bin plays the wildest—his sister-in-law runs a 4S dealership chain that is a designated maintenance unit for the Rebirth Group."

Lao Ba sucked in a breath of cold air: "Boss Lin, your intelligence network..."

"Now is not the time to talk about that." Lin Dongfan put away his phone: "Lao Ba, take two people and keep a close watch on Zhao Qiang. Old Peng, arrange people to watch Sun Wu and Zhou Bin. Remember, don't startle the snake; just record their movements and contacts."

"What will you do?" Peng Tianhua asked.

"Me?" Lin Dongfan glanced toward the hospital outside the window, a cold smile curling his lips: "I'm going to see Li Hengbo off, and give his little heart a stir."

Outside the window, the afternoon sun was blazing.

A covert struggle shrouding the expressway had quietly begun.

The hospital.

Li Hengbo, who had just escaped mortal danger, lay silently on the hospital bed, his face filled with despair, pondering how to evade this calamity.

Two criminal investigators guarded the ward door.

Lin Dongfan's arrival aroused high alertness in the two criminal investigators.

One of them reached out and blocked Lin Dongfan's path: "Mr. Lin, please stop. There are orders from above forbidding anyone from visiting the suspect. Please cooperate."

This was all expected.

Lin Dongfan produced two business cards he had prepared earlier and said to the two criminal investigators guarding the door: "This is my business card; take it, and you become a friend of Lin Dongfan."

Hearing this, the two criminal investigators looked at each other.

They hesitated, undecided.

Lin Dongfan added: "If you lose your jobs because of this, I, Lin Dongfan, will have your backs. As brothers, I cannot stand by and watch you die without help."

The two criminal investigators immediately looked flattered and startled.

Damn it!

This pie falling from the sky really came too suddenly, leaving no mental preparation; saying one isn't excited would be false.

Who is Lin Dongfan?

This guy is a princeling of the Jing circle, backed by great power and wealth! If you had such a friend for the rest of your life, would that so-called iron rice bowl in your hand still matter?

Following the principle of dealing with the world by recognizing the times and being outstanding.

One of the criminal investigators turned, opened the ward door, and politely reminded Lin Dongfan: "Boss Lin, keep it short, don't linger too long; we'll keep watch outside for you."

"Thanks."

Lin Dongfan handed the business card over and strode into the ward.

The criminal investigator then closed the door.

Li Hengbo, lying on the bed, saw Lin Dongfan enter and his previously calm state instantly exploded, anger flashing across his face.

"Get out!"

Li Hengbo closed his eyes and let out a low, angry sound.

"Get out?"

"That's impossible; I could never get out in this lifetime."

Lin Dongfan calmly lit a cigarette, smiling as he recalled the past: "Do you remember when we worked together at the Nanzhou Political and Legal Affairs Committee? Back then I was hospitalized, you brought two scrawny old hens from the countryside to visit me, begging me to let you off. I didn't give you face then, and you on the spot undid your belt and pissed a stream of yellow urine…"

"……!!!"

Li Hengbo tightly shut his eyes, feeling as if a mountain named 'shame' weighed on his heart, making his chest heave violently and even breathing a little difficult.

Lin Dongfan dragged a chair over and sat beside the bed.

He puffed out clouds and mist, laughing: "In this life, you will forever be my defeated subordinate—do you accept that?"

"You damn fool, you can't even protect your own woman, got someone else killed, and at just over thirty you met a fragrant jade-like end! What right do you have to show off in front of me?"

Li Hengbo opened his eyes and finally revealed a faint smile.

"This invisible thrust, undeniable! It indeed pierced Lin Dongfan's heart precisely, instantly recalling the bloody scene of Su Yuhong's death."

Grief surged up like a wave in Lin Dongfan's heart in an instant.

Lin Dongfan clamped the cigarette between his lips, said nothing, got up, grabbed the syringe beside him, and drove it hard into Li Hengbo's thigh, using all his strength.

Ah!!! Holy crap!!!

Painful shouts and angry curses echoed in the hospital ward.

Li Hengbo's leg trembled, his facial muscles twitching with pain; he wanted to struggle but couldn't, let alone fight back.

He gritted his teeth and glared at Lin Dongfan: "If you've got the guts, kill me!!!"