Chapter 324: Am I, Fatty Hu, Someone Who Doesn't Care About Face?

After pulling his phone from his pocket, Yu Dazhang hesitated for a moment.

This case was a bit beyond the usual scope, involving a foreign force, and Ye Lin's authority wasn't quite sufficient.

Then he could only go find her superior.

He only knew two people in the Ministry of State Security—Li Mingzhao and Ye Lin.

For small matters, Ye Lin could handle them.

For example, last time investigating Zeng Lisi's overseas background—that kind of thing didn't need Li Mingzhao to step in at all.

After deliberating for a while, Yu Dazhang, in front of Hong Liuwen, dialed Li Mingzhao's number.

This time it went smoothly; the ringtone had barely sounded twice before the other end picked up.

"Hello…"

Li Mingzhao's lazy voice came through the earpiece, sounding as if he hadn't woken up yet, with a thick nasal tone.

"Leader, it's me, Yu Dazhang."

When asking someone for a favor, one's attitude had to be proper. Yu Dazhang asked carefully:

"Were you sleeping?"

"Get to the point." Li Mingzhao on the other end sounded a bit impatient.

Yu Dazhang didn't dare delay and quickly said:

"It's like this—I ran into a case on my end. Actually, a client's family member abroad has been targeted by the local gang, so I thought of our…"

He hadn't even gotten the words "Ministry of State Security" out before Li Mingzhao cut him off.

"Don't go saying 'our' this, 'our' that."

His tone carried a hint of displeasure and reproach:

"Back then I sincerely invited you to join the Ministry of State Security, but you turned me down without even thinking about it."

"Now that you need help, you suddenly remember me. Why should I help you?"

"Besides, what do you take the Ministry of State Security for? One phone call from you and we have to mobilize? You've got quite some nerve—your skin sure is thick."

Yu Dazhang: …

His phone's earpiece was a bit loud, and since the office was very quiet, Li Mingzhao's words were heard clearly by the other three people in the room.

The awkward atmosphere made the office even quieter.

Yu Dazhang was groaning inwardly.

He had meant to show off, but ended up making a fool of himself, getting lectured like a grandson.

If no one had been around, Li Mingzhao talking to him like that wouldn't have bothered him at all.

Leaders, after all, criticizing you a bit was perfectly normal.

At most he'd put on a cheeky grin and brazenly say a few pleasant words.

But now there were outsiders present—where was he supposed to put his face?

Yu Dazhang had always felt he wasn't someone who particularly cared about face.

He felt that this thing called "face"—if you had it, fine; if not, it didn't matter.

It wasn't until today that he suddenly realized he actually did care quite a bit about this so-called "face."

The way he looked now was exactly like being slapped in public—he could feel his face burning hot.

"Leader, you…"

For the sake of the case, he swallowed his anger, but the moment he opened his mouth, a "beep-beep" busy signal came from the phone.

Li Mingzhao had simply hung up.

How ridiculous was that.

Everyone in the room had thought Yu Dazhang was going to pull off something impressive this time, but instead he'd dropped a massive bomb on himself.

Even Lu Zhongxin and Zhang Sen were blushing, the two of them lowering their heads to their chests, afraid of being seen.

Now the only one in the office who didn't feel awkward was probably Hong Liuwen.

Looking at the red-faced, thick-necked fatty across from him, he couldn't help but laugh:

"Before you made that call, I didn't believe you knew anyone in the Ministry of State Security. Now I do."

Those words were like a needle stabbing right into Yu Dazhang's sore spot, making him even more embarrassed.

He said, his face flushed red:

"My leader isn't usually like this. He probably got woken up from sleep, that's why he's losing his temper—after all, anyone can get cranky waking up."

This explanation clearly wasn't convincing, but no one in the room said a word, just looking at Yu Dazhang with their eyes, as if waiting for something.

In the end, Hong Liuwen couldn't hold it in any longer and said in a pleading tone:

"I believe you now, but the other side clearly doesn't plan to help. How about you call back and try again?"

Call back? Yu Dazhang took a deep breath.

Am I, Fatty Hu, someone who doesn't care about face?

Did he really think that without the Ministry of State Security he'd be helpless? A man has to have backbone!

He held the phone and worked himself up for a long time, running through everyone he knew in his head, and finally gave up like a deflated ball.

Distant water couldn't quench a nearby thirst—this kind of thing only the Ministry of State Security could help with.

Just as Yu Dazhang was about to call again, his phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at the caller ID—it was Li Mingzhao calling.

He quickly answered.

"Why haven't you sent over the other party's information yet? Are we saving these people or not?!"

Li Mingzhao's voice sounded very angry, even carrying a hint of fury:

"Why are you doing things in such a muddled way? You won't give me the information, so how am I supposed to save anyone? You just had to wait until I called to ask you for it."

You never agreed to help either... Yu Dazhang didn't dare talk back, and quickly agreed:

"Yes, yes, yes, I'll send it to you right away."

"Make it quick." Li Mingzhao hung up the phone again after speaking.

This time Yu Dazhang finally caught on—seems like Squad Li Zuzhang was just throwing a fit because his sleep had been disturbed.

Exactly as he had guessed earlier.

Sleeping in broad daylight—Yu Dazhang didn't even need to think to guess that this Squad Li Zuzhang must have gone several days in a row without proper sleep.

Not daring to delay, he immediately sent over Hong Liuwen's daughter's information.

"Tell me your daughter's current address."

Such important information naturally required Yu Dazhang to confirm it further.

Hong Liuwen immediately gave his daughter's address.

Seeing the address was correct, Yu Dazhang finally put down his phone.

"Can you talk now?" He stared at Hong Liuwen and asked.

Since the State Security had agreed to help, regardless of the outcome, Hong Liuwen had no reason to refuse to come clean.

Even if they didn't rescue her, he had no need to keep covering for those people.

Because from the moment State Security took action, it was tantamount to tearing off the mask.

Besides, getting State Security to help meant Yu Dazhang had called in a favor, so whether for the public good or for personal reasons, Hong Liuwen ought to cooperate.

"I'll tell you everything I know."

At this moment Hong Liuwen was clearly a bit worked up; he seemed to have been waiting for this moment for a long time:

"It's not just that one board factory in the jurisdiction that has problems—there are also three prefabricated slab factories, one basic chemical plant, two sand and gravel plants..."

Hong Liuwen rattled off more than ten factories in one breath, and from the look of him, it seemed he had only just gotten started.

"Hold on a moment." Yu Dazhang cut in:

"Take your time, we need to record all these problematic places."

After saying that, he beckoned to Lu Zhongxin and Zhang Sen.

Both of them had been standing so long their legs were tired; seeing this, they each grabbed a chair and sat down beside Yu Dazhang.

"I'll take notes."

Lu Zhongxin said, pulling out a notebook and pen, and once ready, looked at Hong Liuwen across from him.

"No need for all that trouble." Hong Liuwen waved his hand:

"I have records on my phone, I'll send them to you."

Then Hong Liuwen and Lu Zhongxin added each other on WeChat, and he sent over a document.

Once that was done, Hong Liuwen continued:

"In total, 22 factories are using intellectually disabled people for heavy physical labor. The exact number of people is unclear, but probably around three hundred."

That many?!

The more Yu Dazhang heard, the more shocked he felt inside.

After hearing the number Hong Liuwen had estimated, he couldn't help asking:

"How can there be so many factories in your jurisdiction?"

(End of chapter)