Chapter 869

Municipal Party Committee small meeting room.

People filled both sides of the long conference table; many of the attendees were old smokers, smoke swirling, the atmosphere heavy enough to seem about to drip water.

When Lin Dongfan pushed the door open, Wang Qigang was already seated at the head, holding a document, not lifting his eyelids at all.

Lin Dongfan sat in his seat, opened his notebook, and placed his pen to the side.

Everyone is here.

Only then did Wang Qigang lift his head, his gaze sweeping the room and finally landing on Lin Dongfan.

"Comrades." Wang Qigang's tone wasn't loud, but each word seemed to carry a shard of solemn ice: "Today's meeting mainly discusses the issue of the Cloud Peak Mountain Villa project."

He paused, then shoved the document in his hand onto the table.

"The Cloud Peak Mountain Villa project is our city's key project, the leader of the cultural tourism industry. When it was first decided, the province also attached great importance, with Secretary Jiang personally inquiring! But now?"

Speaking of this, he became excited.

Wang Qigang tapped his fingers on the document: "Work has been halted for over a month; for such a huge project, are we going to let it rot in the field like cabbage?!"

The meeting room fell dead silent.

Wang Qigang leaned back and directly pointed the spear at Lin Dongfan: "Comrade Dongfan, you tell everyone, what exactly is going on?"

Lin Dongfan capped his pen, lifted his head, and replied:

"The original contractor of Cloud Peak Mountain Villa, Huang Jintang, refused to continue construction due to the performance bond issue. Mortal Group is negotiating with him, striving to resume work as soon as possible."

"Performance bond? What does that have to do with the shutdown?!"

Wang Qigang furrowed his brows, putting on a look of utter puzzlement, as if the behind-the-scenes maneuvering had nothing to do with him.

This made Lin Dongfan feel nauseated to the extreme.

Lin Dongfan met his gaze and explained unhurriedly: "According to Huang Jintang, to secure this project he paid Zhao Group a 120 million yuan performance bond. But Zhao Tianyu diverted that money for personal use; now that Zhao Group has collapsed, Huang Jintang demands that Mortal Group fill the gap."

120 million yuan performance bond?

Among those present, someone sucked in a breath of cold air.

Wang Qigang gave a cold laugh: "Comrade Dongfan, are you saying that because of a 120 million yuan performance bond, our key project is just scrapped?"

Lin Dongfan said nothing.

Wang Qigang's eyes were like knives as he pressed Lin Dongfan further: "Mayor Lin, do you know what this project means for Wuzhou? Do you realize how high the province's expectations are for it?"

As he spoke, Wang Qigang tapped the table again.

And he intensified his tone:

"With work halted for half a month, whose money is being lost? It's the fiscal money, the taxpayers' money! A one-day delay adds a day's cost. Who will bear this responsibility?"

Disagreement with Lin Dongfan at the meeting is not the first time.

But to so confidently bombard Lin Dongfan like today is still a first in Wang Qigang's political career, leaving everyone present afraid to utter a sound.

Lin Dongfan, however, smiled indifferently.

He lifted his tea and took a sip.

He spoke slowly:

"Secretary Wang, the responsibility issue can be sorted out slowly."

"The immediate question is whether Huang Jintang's huge performance bond went into Zhao Group's public account or into Zhao Tianyu's private account."

"If it's the latter, then Huang Jintang is not just a contractor but also a suspect in bribery."

"He obtained the project through bribery, and now he's using the work stoppage as leverage to demand that Mortal Group compensate his losses—this is extortion."

As his words fell, low murmurs rose in the meeting room.

Wang Qigang's face also darkened: "Comrade Dongfan, are you trying to muddy the waters?"

"Secretary Wang, where does this come from?" Lin Dongfan replied calmly with a faint smile: "I'm merely stating an objective fact. If Huang Jintang is indeed suspected of bribery, extortion, etc., should our Wuzhou Municipal Party Committee and government continue to back him, or should we act according to law?"

That remark was like a dagger straight into Wang Qigang's heart, making him grit his teeth in secret.

Wang Qigang coldly stared at Lin Dongfan: "According to you, should we now support Mortal Group in doing nothing? Just watch the project rot in the field?"

Lin Dongfan shook his head: "My meaning is that we need to clarify this first. Why did Huang Jintang dare to jump out now? Is someone behind him instigating? Where exactly did that 120 million go? If we don't sort these out, even if work resumes today, it could stop again tomorrow."

Wang Qigang fell silent for a few seconds.

Then he forced out a bitter laugh: "Comrade Dongfan, I don't deny you have a point, but the most urgent thing now is not investigating the case, but resuming work! The province is watching, the public is watching! How am I supposed to explain this to them? Say the project is halted because we want to audit a 120 million yuan bad debt?"

Without waiting for Lin Dongfan to rebut.

Wang Qigang applied further pressure: "I'll give you one week. Within that week, you are responsible for coordinating Mortal Group and Huang Jintang to implement the resumption of work. As for the performance bond matter, we can investigate it slowly."

He paused, then intensified his tone a bit.

"If the problem isn't resolved within a week, you must personally go to the province to explain to Secretary Jiang."

"Why did the project halt?"

"Who is being negligent and lazy in work?"

"Who is neglecting duty and governance?"

"Who bears responsibility?"

"You must clarify this series of problems to Secretary Jiang yourself then! Our Municipal Party Committee has already fulfilled its supervisory responsibility."

The air in the meeting room seemed to freeze, with everyone's eyes fixed on Lin Dongfan.

Lin Dongfan remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he smiled again: "Since Secretary Wang insists on making me take the blame, I'll take…"

"Bang!!!"

Before Lin Dongfan could finish speaking, Wang Qigang had already slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

The tense, sword-drawn atmosphere ignited instantly!

Wang Qigang glared at Lin Dongfan: "Mayor Lin, please clarify your words—what do you mean by 'I have to make you take the blame'? The Municipal Party Committee, considering the city's overall development, has repeatedly urged you to push for work resumption! Now the project looks like it's about to rot in the field—this isn't your responsibility, could it be mine?!"

"When Huang Jinrong and Zhao Tianyu signed the construction contract, I hadn't yet arrived in Wuzhou to take up my post; back then you were the Mayor of Wuzhou!" Lin Dongfan slowly rose to his feet, unmoved by courtesy, and sneered: "Now problems have arisen, and you're pushing all the blame onto me, the successor — isn't that just passing the buck?"

As his words fell, the hall fell into dead silence.

Everyone present looked at Lin Dongfan, who refused to show weakness, and then at Wang Qigang, whose anger was evident; everyone felt a little uneasy, for when the city gate catches fire, who knows if the fish in the moat will suffer?

No one expected that the two bigwigs would turn on each other just like that.