Chapter 861

After leaving the teahouse, Yang Qing lifted his head and gazed at the gloomy sky, his mood impossible to lift.

Zhou Zheng!

This is not a name that could be done without, but a brother who once blocked a bullet for him, Yang Qing! That perilous scene from back then still floats in his mind.

If Zhou Zheng hadn't shoved him aside, the one who got shot back then would have been him, Yang Qing.

But after Zhou Zheng took a bullet, he didn't even grunt, fired back with one hand and dropped the opponent with three shots—so brave.

Later, when Zhou Zheng's daughter was born, he acknowledged him as her godfather.

On the day of the full-month celebration, he drank too much, hugged Zhou Zheng and cried his heart out, saying he would spend his life as an ox or horse to repay the life-saving favor.

He remembered Zhou Zheng kicking him at the time and scolding him for being useless.

Now Lin Dongfan came running to tell him that Zhou Zheng might be a mole in the police force! Damn, he never expected to be associated with idioms like "ungrateful and unfilial" in his lifetime.

"That hits home, old iron..."

After sucking down a cigarette in one breath, Yang Qing felt utterly despondent.

The thunder that needs to be faced still must be faced.

Wuzhou First People's Hospital arranged a private ward for Zhou Zheng.

However, over the past two days, few people have come to visit Zhou Zheng—only a few relatives. Those officials are all sharp cookies, and they obviously sensed the wind direction.

He heard a knock on the door.

Zhou Zheng, who was watching TV news, turned his head and glanced; seeing Yang Qing enter, he first froze, then smiled: "Old Yang, how do you have time to come see me?"

"What, you're not welcoming me?"

While chatting and laughing, Yang Qing set down the fruit basket he'd brought on the bedside table, his gaze quickly locking onto Zhou Zheng's injured spot—his head, wrapped in gauze.

He felt utterly depressed inside; sure enough, the injury was to the head.

"Welcome, why wouldn't I welcome you? Have a seat."

Zhou Zheng pointed to the chair beside the bed and added, "You've been off work due to illness for so many years; earlier you were busy with work, I didn't inquire—how is your injury recovering now?"

"It's mostly healed."

Yang Qing sat in the chair, sizing up Zhou Zheng's big head wrapped in gauze: "What's the situation? I heard you took a fall?"

"Sorry to let you see me like this."

Zhou Zheng touched the gauze on his head.

He then gave a wry smile: "That day I went back to my hometown to see your goddaughter, had some drinks with relatives. On the way back I didn't see the road clearly and plunged headfirst into a ditch. Got seven or eight stitches—embarrassing."

Yang Qing asked: "Is the injury serious?"

"Not too serious, just a tear." Zhou Zheng said: "The doctor says a few days of rest will fix it, you don't need to worry, I won't die."

"As long as I won't die, that's good."

Yang Qing replied offhand, his gaze lingering on Zhou Zheng's face for a second.

This face, known for over a dozen years, so familiar it couldn't be more familiar. Yet at this moment, it suddenly felt somewhat strange.

"Old Yang." Zhou Zheng chuckled, then tentatively asked: "This time you came to see me—do you have something else on your mind?"

"If there's nothing, I can't come visit you? Don't overthink it."

Although he was cursing inwardly, Yang Qing's facial expression basically didn't change.

Zhou Zheng was also putting on a relaxed front, laughing: "I know you—you wouldn't make this trip for nothing. Spill it—what's the matter?"

Yang Qing fell silent for two seconds.

Then his tone turned serious: "Old Zhou, I have a question for you—answer me honestly."

"Ask away."

Zhou Zheng nodded.

Yang Qing asked: "Regarding the Su Qingyu case, did you have any involvement?"

"You ask that… how should I answer?" Zhou Zheng laughed: "Before, the case of Su Qingyu's disappearance has always been under my charge, so of course I was involved."

"I mean…" Yang Qing stared straight into Zhou Zheng's eyes: "Before Su Qingyu was killed, did you have any private contact with him?"

Zhou Zheng's smile slowly faded.

He met Yang Qing's gaze, they locked eyes for a while before he slowly spoke: "Old Yang, you haven't just met me today, have you? To suspect me now just because Zhao Linlin injured the suspect's head, and I happen to have a head wound—come on, in your eyes am I now the prime suspect?"

Although this series of rhetorical questions was within Yang Qing's expectations, hearing them echo in his ears still left him a bit disappointed.

He dares to act but not to own up—doesn't even qualify as a man! Is this my brother?

Forget it!

Since you're stubborn as a dead duck and refuse to admit it!

Then don't blame me, your brother, for being ruthless—I'll personally uncover your true colors!

In that moment, Yang Qing withdrew a wave of brotherly feeling and went straight for a ploy: "I was just saying, this is pure damn coincidence! You're a veteran cop—how could you possibly know the law and break it?"

"Your words hit the mark—I've been a cop most of my life and have never done anything that harms heaven and reason."

Zhou Zheng carried himself with integrity and spoke righteously.

Yang Qing patted Zhou Zheng's shoulder, gave a righteous smile: "Leave the outside gossip to me, brother—I'll go clean it up! You rest and heal here; I'll come see you another day."

Leaving the ward, Yang Qing's smile vanished instantly.

He stood in the hallway, glanced back at the closed ward door, his gaze also turning much colder! After all these years of brotherhood, he still misjudged him.

Zhou Zheng's reaction was too steady!

So steady it didn't look like someone wronged, more like an actor who'd already rehearsed his lines.

Yang Qing lit a cigarette, leaned against the wall, and smoked slowly.

As a nurse passed by, she glared at him: "Who let you smoke here? Put it out." Yang Qing pretended not to hear, his mind repeatedly pondering how to pull off a big job next.

Monday afternoon.

The Provincial Public Security Department's official document was sent to the Municipal Public Security Bureau of Place.

Red-headed document, with stern wording: In view of the '7·18' case involving multiple lives, the case is major and the social impact is adverse. After research and decision by the Provincial Department, the Provincial Department Criminal Investigation Bureau will take the lead in forming a special task force, with the Place public security organs cooperating in the investigation. Effective immediately, the Municipal Public Security Bureau of Place will transfer case-related materials to the Provincial Department Special Task Force.

Luo Zhiwei looked at the document, his face grim to the extreme.

He slammed the document onto the table, picked up the phone and shouted: "Let Old Zheng come over."

Five minutes later.

Zheng Political Commissar pushed the door open and entered.

"Old Luo, what matter has caused such a big fire?" Zheng Political Commissar closed the door, and at a glance saw the red-headed document on the table: "Any instructions from the Provincial Department?"

Luo Zhiwei pushed the document toward him: "You have a look yourself."

Zheng Political Commissar picked it up and examined it carefully; as he looked, his face darkened: "The Provincial Department is just trying to take the peach! We've investigated this for so long, and now they say they'll just take over?"

Luo Zhiwei said nothing, but his eyes kept fixed on Zheng Political Commissar.

Zheng Political Commissar put on a calm façade: "Old Luo, this matter cannot be simply accepted. The case occurred in Place, the evidence is in our hands; on what basis does the Provincial Department say it can just take it away?"

"Then what do you think we should do about this?" Luo Zhiwei, expressionless, took the initiative: "I won't state my position; you just go ahead and give it your all."

Zheng Political Commissar thought carefully and replied: "It seems we can only look for Wang Secretary; he is a member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee. If he is willing to speak up at the Standing Committee meeting, the Provincial Department will have to give some face."

"Handle this as you see fit; in principle I have no objection."

Luo Zhiwei held a cup of tea, turned and walked to the window with his back to Zheng Political Commissar, utterly a hands-off manager, which made Zheng Political Commissar quite vexed; he could only retreat tactfully.

Municipal Party Committee building, Wang Qigang's office.

Zheng Political Commissar knocked on the door: "Wang Secretary."

Wang Qigang, who was burying himself in work, lifted his head and glanced: "Old Zheng, what's up?"

"Wang Secretary, take a look at this."

Zheng Political Commissar placed a copy of the Provincial Department's document on the desk; Wang Qigang picked up the document and glanced at it, as if struck by a killing intent, and immediately furrowed his brow.

"What the hell is this!"

Wang Qigang fiercely threw the document onto the office desk.

The next second he stared at Zheng Political Commissar like a grim reaper, pointing at his nose and berating: "Speak! What are you guys at the City Bureau eating? A bunch of good-for-nothings! You can't even hold onto a case!"

"Wang Secretary, this matter..."

Zheng Political Commissar was scolded into a cold sweat, not daring to lift his head: "We also didn't expect the Provincial Department to suddenly intervene; this must be because someone greeted the Provincial Department beforehand..."

"Just saying we didn't expect it and that settles it?!"

Wang Qigang shouted angrily: "Saying you're talking nonsense is actually not wrong at all! For the Provincial Department to take over this case, there wasn't the slightest movement beforehand? Could it be that you City Bureau have no one in the Provincial Department? You truly heard not a whisper? You have to wait until they slap you in the face before you know it hurts?!"

!!!?

Zheng Political Commissar, scolded like an old soldier suffering endless grievance, kept his middle finger pressed against his trouser seam, stood at attention obediently to listen to the lecture, and dared not utter a word in rebuttal.