Chapter 1425: The Culprit Has Surrendered!

After Han Hu left, Tang Ye sat before his desk, sipping tea while sorting out his thoughts.

He had just felt a chill run down his spine.

It was not that he feared the likes of Zhang Chong.

In Tang Ye's view, the underworld was not scary at all.

What truly concerned him was that those few complaint materials had suspicious origins.

This gang of underworld figures not only used violence but also attempted to ruin Ma Ran's future.

If Jiang Jing was a "main account" he had painstakingly built, then Ma Ran was a "smurf" he had carefully cultivated.

He sat at his desk analyzing for a long time, then wrote the three characters Shi Guangrong on a piece of paper.

Shi Guangrong had been schemed against by Ding Zhen and Yang Bo, leaving him no choice but to go to the CPPCC to retire.

Given Shi Guangrong's personality, he would absolutely not let the matter rest.

Looking at it from another angle, if he himself wanted to deal with Yang Bo.

Shi Guangrong might be able to lend him a hand!

……

Regardless, someone definitely had to be held responsible for the incident where Ma Ran was injured.

Xia Xiang returned to Lianhua Town and hurriedly summoned the Lianhua Town Police Station Chief, Bi Dongqing, to his office.

"Chief Bi, I went to the County Government today and met with County Magistrate Tang. County Magistrate Tang explicitly demanded that we must find the culprit who beat Town Mayor Ma as soon as possible. This case has been under investigation for so long; why is there still no result?"

Chief Bi wore a troubled expression and said helplessly, "After those few people committed the assault, they fled Yechuan County. I am also at my wit's end."

Xia Xiang's face darkened, and he said sternly, "I am giving you three days. If you cannot find the assailant within three days, I will have no choice but to report truthfully to County Magistrate Tang that the Lianhua Town Police Station is incompetent, and you can write your own resignation letter!"

Bi Dongqing said with a bitter face, "Secretary Xia, you are forcing me!"

Xia Xiang said coldly, "Do not explain to me. Right now, a lot of evidence points to Zhang Chong! I know you must have a way!"

Chief Bi looked thoughtful, remained silent for a few seconds, and said, "Alright, I will think of a way."

Returning to the Police Station, Chief Bi dialed Zhang Chong's number.

"Boss Zhang, this is Bi Dongqing."

"Chief Bi, what are your instructions?"

Chief Bi sighed and said, "Boss Zhang, the higher-ups are strictly investigating the case of Lianhua Town Executive Deputy Town Mayor Ma Ran being seriously injured in a home invasion. I know you have extensive connections and many channels; could you do me a favor and find the people who did it?"

Zhang Chong's tone carried a hint of mockery: "Chief Bi, aren't you overestimating me a bit? Catching criminals is your police specialty. I'm just a businessman; how would I have that ability?"

Chief Bi's tone was somewhat serious: "Boss Zhang, I am not joking with you. I know Ma Ran offended you by not releasing the funds. You are very angry. But the higher-ups attach great importance to this matter, and it has already alarmed the County Leaders. Although Ma Ran is a Seconded Official, he is the County Magistrate's Chief Secretary. If the culprit cannot be found, I will be held accountable. Do not make things difficult for me!"

Zhang Chong's tone immediately became displeased, and he said in a deep voice: "Chief Bi, that is not the right way to put it. Are you implying that I did this? Although Ma Ran played me on the matter of the project funds, it was only a few hundred thousand in capital; I wouldn't go so far as to make things unmanageable over such a small amount of money."

Chief Bi mused that Zhang Chong had quite a big ego; he didn't seem to care about a few hundred thousand in project funds at all.

"Boss Zhang, just do me a favor and get the case settled quickly."

Zhang Chong was silent for a moment. "Chief Bi, since you've asked, I will naturally try my best to help. How about this, I will give you an answer later."

After hanging up on Chief Bi, Zhang Chong dialed one of his subordinates' numbers: "San Zi, come to my office!"

Not long after, a man with long hair walked in.

The man looked to be in his early twenties. As soon as he entered the office, he sat down opposite Zhang Chong without any restraint and casually propped his legs up on the desk, looking like a hoodlum.

"Brother Eighteen, what do you need me for?"

Zhang Chong stood up, pulled the man's legs down, and asked with a grave tone, "San Zi, tell me the truth: the Acting Town Mayor of Lianhua Town was beaten and seriously injured—was that arranged by you?"

A look of surprise appeared in San Zi's eyes, and he said dismissively, "You don't need to care about such a small matter. Isn't he just a Seconded Official from out of town? He's not worth your attention."

Hearing San Zi say this, Zhang Chong was instantly furious. "So it really was you? Do you have a brain? That is a Government official, a National Public Servant. Is that someone you can just beat up whenever you want?"

San Zi was unimpressed and said with a face full of confidence, "This guy surnamed Ma refused a toast only to be forced to drink. You went to find him several times and even entrusted people to invite him to dinner, but he didn't give you any face at all. I couldn't take it, so I did it. Don't worry, this was done flawlessly; I've already had people go into hiding. If the police can't find them, they won't be able to link it to us."

Zhang Chong took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Sometimes, it's not just about whether you can be caught or not. Just now, Bi Dongqing from Lianhua Town called me asking for the people. If I don't hand them over, I will offend him."

San Zi said with displeasure, "Isn't he just a township Police Station Chief? So what if we offend him??"

Zhang Chong slapped the table hard. "Just shut your mouth! A Chief may seem like a small grassroots leader, but as long as he mobilizes his own connections and resources, the entire Yechuan County Public Security Bureau system will become our enemy. Hurry up and arrange for a few people to take the fall for this."

San Zi said somewhat unwillingly, "Brother Eighteen, aren't you overestimating Bi Dongqing?"

Seeing that San Zi would not obey his arrangements, Zhang Chong smashed a faux-Qing porcelain vase and roared, "Are you going to listen to my arrangements or not!"

Seeing that Zhang Chong was truly enraged, San Zi hurriedly stood up and said with awe, "Alright, I will go arrange it immediately."

Returning to his own office, San Zi called over a subordinate: "Arrange for three people to go to Lianhua Town to surrender and say that they are the culprits who beat and injured Ma Ran."

The subordinate said in surprise, "Surrender? That's not necessary, is it!"

San Zi said somewhat reluctantly, "This was ordered by Brother Eighteen. Go do it quickly. Make sure to tell the brothers who surrender that after they get out, they will be promoted to cadres."

The subordinate nodded, "Don't worry, everyone is waiting for this opportunity!"

As an organized and disciplined team, everyone knew that only by making sacrifices for the organization could one have the opportunity to advance!

……

Lianhua Town Police Station.

Bi Dongqing had just finished lunch and was preparing to rest.

Someone knocked on the door and reported, "Chief Bi, three people just came to the entrance of the Police Station to surrender, claiming they are the culprits who broke in and injured Town Mayor Ma."

Bi Dongqing nodded slightly, "Detain them first, and this afternoon, send them to the County Public Security Bureau to accept further investigation."

After arranging everything, Bi Dongqing dialed Xia Xiang's number, his tone full of relief:

"Secretary Xia, I have good news for you. There is a result in Town Mayor Ma's case. The culprit has surrendered!"

Hearing this, Xia Xiang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and praised, "Good efficiency in handling the case. I will call County Magistrate Tang right now to report this good news!"