Chapter 904: The Tactics of the Eternal Number Two!

Xu Jialiang stood at the doorway, his gaze sweeping over the spilled tea and broken porcelain on the floor, then he glanced at Zheng Congwen's face, which was so gloomy it seemed about to drip water.

His years of criminal investigation experience told him——this trip, more danger than safety.

"Come in, close the door."

Zheng Congwen's voice gave no hint of joy or anger, but the more so, the less Xu Jialiang felt at ease.

He forced himself to step inside, gently closed the door, stood before the desk, and dared not sit.

Zheng Congwen stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Old Xu, do you feel lately that my words as Political Commissar aren't working well?"

Xu Jialiang's heart skipped a beat: "Political Commissar, where does this come from? I……"

Zheng Congwen waved a hand, cutting him off: "All right, no explanations. I called you over today to give you a task."

"Political Commissar, please speak."

Xu Jialiang secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Zheng Congwen leaned back, lit a cigarette: "Seal Huang Jinrong's billiard club for me."

Xu Jialiang froze for a moment: "Seal it? On what grounds?"

Zheng Congwen exhaled a puff of smoke: "It's about prostitution—do I still need to teach you this?"

"!!!" Xu Jialiang's face changed: "Political Commissar, I've been to that club; although there are some gray areas, if we really investigate prostitution……"

"What happens if we really investigate?"

Zheng Congwen cut him off, his eyes turning cold: "Xu Jialiang, you come from criminal investigation—finding some evidence isn't that hard? A few private rooms, a few hostesses; if you want to investigate, you'll always find something."

Xu Jialiang opened his mouth, momentarily unsure what to say.

Zheng Congwen added: "Old Xu, I know you're close with Gao Yicheng. You know whose man Gao Yicheng is. But remember, you're now the head of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, and I'm the one who promoted you."

He paused briefly.

Zheng Congwen then added meaningfully: "If you handle this well, your future path will be much smoother; if you don't……"

He didn't finish, but the meaning was already clear.

Xu Jialiang remained silent for a few seconds.

In the end he still made a compromise: "Political Commissar, I'll go."

"That's more like it." Zheng Congwen laughed: "Go, handle it swiftly. Remember, I don't want a seizure—I want to see Huang Jinrong."

Xu Jialiang nodded.

After turning and leaving, Xu Jialiang felt a mix of emotions.

As for Huang Jinrong's withdrawing the lawsuit and resigning, he had heard about it earlier. Now it seems Huang Jinrong's this move really angered Zheng Congwen.

Zheng Congwen's move today is truly ruthless.

On one hand, it can force Huang Jinrong to show up.

On the other hand, it aims to test Xu Jialiang's loyalty, intending to push him to stand opposite Lin Dongfan and others.

This is a two-birds-one-stone ploy!

What leaves Xu Jialiang feeling helpless is that, even after seeing through Zheng Congwen's ruthless tactics, he still has to grit his teeth and jump into the fire pit—as the saying goes, a higher official crushes those below.

……

4 p. m., the billiard club.

Seven or eight police cars came wailing, over twenty officers rushed into the club's entrance. The customers playing billiards were startled and all rose to their feet.

"Nobody move! Spot check!"

Xu Jialiang led the team, standing expressionless at the doorway.

Half an hour later.

A "search report" was placed before him.

"Captain Xu, we caught a man and two women in Billiard Room No. 8. The three were engaged in group licentious activity, caught red-handed."

Xu Jialiang nodded: "Take them all back."

At the club's entrance, Huang Jinrong's several lackeys watched helplessly as the door was sealed, each looking at each other.

Someone pulled out a phone and dialed Huang Jinrong's number.

It was off.

Dialed again, still off.

A lackey asked: "Boss Huang's phone is off—what do we do?"

Another lackey sighed: "What else can we do? Just wait."

The billiard club's hostesses, regardless of whether they'd had relations with customers, were each escorted onto police cars and taken back to the bureau for questioning.

The club's neon sign went out for the first time this early.

……

7 p. m.

Huang Jinrong had just left the hospital, his phone just turned on, when he received a call from a lackey.

"Boss Huang, the club has been sealed!"

Huang Jinrong was stunned.

"Who sealed it?"

"It was the City Bureau's people; the boss of Room 8 and two hostesses were arrested on the spot."

"Which Boss Yang?"

"I don't know him either; today was my first time there, I just ordered two hostesses right away. He was generous, so we didn't ask much—never expecting to be caught red-handed."

"Damn! This is definitely someone setting it up behind the scenes!"

Huang Jinrong was so angry his fury surged upward.

He had run that club for three years; although there were some shady dealings, nothing had ever happened. Now it was suddenly sealed off—anyone could tell with their toes who did it.

He gritted his teeth, hailed a taxi, and went straight to the City Bureau.

He originally intended to go to the City Bureau to clear things up, but as soon as he stepped through the gate, a police officer rushed over and threw him over the shoulder, handcuffing him on the spot.

When he was being escorted into the interrogation room.

Huang Jinrong's face still bore injuries; that pig-like face looked especially ridiculous under the harsh white light.

He sat in the interrogation chair, waiting for someone to question him.

The door was pushed open.

The person who came in was not an interrogation officer, but Zheng Congwen.

Huang Jinrong couldn't help but snarl laugh: "Chief Zheng, what have I done to offend you?"

"What offense or not, don't talk nonsense, we're just following procedure." Zheng Congwen sat opposite him, crossed his legs, and lit a cigarette.

Huang Jinrong asked: "What crime have I committed?"

"You don't know?" Huang Jinrong gave a light smile: "Organizing prostitution—this matter is neither big nor small."

"……!!!"

Huang Jinrong's face changed; at this moment he was quite certain and sure: that whatever Old Yang Hall in Room 8 was definitely a client arranged by someone with intent.

The goal was to catch him red-handed, wanting to ruin Huang Jinrong completely.

Huang Jinrong gritted his teeth and angrily asked: "If I remember correctly, the number of practice partners you've slept with at my club reaches double digits! Why didn't you ever accuse me of organizing prostitution before?"

"Mr. Huang, you need evidence for your words; I advise you not to spout nonsense, as it won't do you any good." Zheng Congwen smiled lightly the whole time, not taking Huang Jinrong seriously at all.

He took a slow drag of his cigarette.

He then confidently laid his cards on the table: "Since I dare to arrest you, I'm not afraid of you biting back like a mad dog—think it over before you speak."

"What do you want?" Huang Jinrong, pressed into silence, had no retort.

Zheng Congwen said: "I once had high hopes for you too, but what happened? You actually treated me like a monkey! Do you think that because you have Jiang Yinghong backing you, I wouldn't dare move against you?"

"I never thought that." Huang Jinrong replied, holding back his anger.

Zheng Congwen snorted angrily: "You didn't think that? Earlier you swore to me, promising to have Su Qianqian come to my house for tutoring. Result? I waited so long, not even a ghost showed up! Moreover, you once promised me you'd see the lawsuit through to the end! Result? You turned around and withdrew the suit, quit your job!"

"……!!!"

Faced with these two undeniable facts, Huang Jinrong could only wear a black line on his forehead and remain silent.