Chapter 628: with translation of chapter title

Geng Biao was feeling somewhat wronged; he explained: "Brother, we were planning to arrest those who filed the reports. I wanted to pry open their mouths, make them reveal who was behind their reports, and give them a lesson, so they would obediently withdraw the case."

Besides, I also wanted to let that newly arrived, shameless Vice County Magistrate know exactly who calls the shots in Lieshan County!

Geng Miao's face darkened instantly: "Nonsense! You have no brain at all! Weren't those people already settled by you before? Why dare to suddenly jump out and file reports again at this time?"

"Is this matter really that simple? Moreover, at the same time, the Lancheng Daily and other provincial newspapers have also reported on our affair. Do you think that's reasonable? If there isn't a powerful backer, would these people dare to act even if you gave them courage?"

Geng Biao scratched his head: "Big Brother, could it be that Su Yang is behind this? He secretly incited these people to file reports, then conveniently intervened?"

Geng Miao really wanted to slap his brother twice: "What the hell is wrong with your brains! Su Yang just arrived, hasn't even gotten a foothold, and yesterday he just accepted the gift we sent. Even if he wanted to turn hostile, this isn't the time! There must be someone else behind this!"

"You must immediately disperse these people and go about your own business! Arresting people is the Public Security Bureau's job; let them handle it! Tell Lin Zhinan we are merely the winery's security team, not a gangster outfit. If everything is left to us, what's the point of the bureau? I don't believe he can't even settle this!"

Geng Biao was given a dressing-down, his face black and blue, but he dared not retort, because his older brother was always right. Not kneeling to apologize on the spot was already the height of audacity. Afterwards, he called Lin Zhinan, venting all the frustration he'd suffered at Geng Miao's place onto Lin Zhinan, almost cursing Lin Zhinan's ancestors eighteen generations over.

The next morning, Sun Chengjun had barely started work and hadn't even had time to sip tea when Lin Zhinan knocked and entered.

"Chief Lin, why are you coming to my place? If you have something, just call me; I'll go to your office to hear your orders!"

Never mind that Sun Chengjun's attitude and emotional intelligence are spot on; as Su Yang said, when you're new you have to keep a low profile, and before you have any strength, you must accept whatever others say.

Lin Zhinan saw Sun Chengjun's demeanor and was still fairly pleased. He tossed a cigarette to Sun Chengjun and said, "Chief Sun, speaking of which, we should hold a welcome banquet for you so you and the bureau's comrades can get acquainted. But because I've been busy these two days, the original plan to hold it today at noon fell through, so you have to go on a mission instead."

Sun Chengjun immediately stood at attention and asked, "Chief Lin, what exactly is the mission? Please give the order directly!"

Lin Zhinan nodded and said, "It's about yesterday's case. I reported to County Magistrate Su, and according to his opinion, we must arrest all the original suspects and clarify the case."

"But you also know that the situation in Lieshan County is quite complicated; the bureau's leadership actually has all sorts of ties, however tenuous, to the suspects. To avoid suspicion, I think you should carry out this mission."

Sun Chengjun's heart skipped a beat; he thought, "This buck keeps getting passed around and now it's landed on me—damn, these people are really sharp."

At the same time, a thought rose in his mind: "Brother Su, my god, your prediction is spot on."

Nevertheless, he kept a solemn expression and said, "Alright, I'll go arrest people now. But I'm not yet familiar with the Criminal Police Team, the Public Security Brigade, or the other comrades at the station, so I doubt I can do this alone. Besides, I need someone who knows the case to accompany me."

Lin Zhinan sized up Sun Chengjun from head to toe and felt he was still underestimating Sun Chengjun's wit. Yet he could make people curse him as a grandson and kick this buck to Sun Chengjun, so he naturally had already prepared his excuse.

"Oh, well then, any unit in the bureau—Criminal Police Team, Public Security Brigade, or the local police stations—will do. I'll notify them; you can bring whoever you want, draft whoever you need. Besides, I'll find a veteran who's worked in the bureau for years to go with you."

In Lin Zhinan's view, as long as Sun Chengjun undertakes this mission, his task is done. If Sun Chengjun goes but dares not make arrests, then he'll never have a foothold in the Public Security Bureau.

This has nothing to do with Lieshan County's overall environment; it's a genuine occurrence within the public security system that would make peers look down on it.

If he really dares to arrest people, regardless of whether he succeeds, the very act would directly offend Geng Miao, meaning this Deputy Chief likely won't last more than a few days before being forced out.

That thorn lodged in the Public Security Bureau would thus be pulled out as well, and he'd be pleased to see it. As for Geng Miao's side, he needn't worry about retaliation reaching him, because the facts are plain: all this has nothing to do with him; someone is pulling the strings behind the scenes.

But Sun Chengjun's next words nearly made him explode on the spot. He said, "Thank you for your support, Chief Lin. Besides the veteran you specially arranged who knows the case, I'd like to take the Shuanggou Town police station comrades with me. Because I learned yesterday that the complainants are actually all from Shuanggou Town, and the suspects are too."

"For this matter, it's most appropriate for the Shuanggou Town police station comrades to handle it. Please notify them; I'm about to set out now."

He was one of those who came together with Su Yang; last night Su Yang had already given him a heads-up and prepared a countermeasure.

Because neither the Criminal Police Team, the Public Security Brigade, nor any other bureau department is under his command; if anything goes wrong, it will be his people who suffer, and even Su Yang would be dragged into disgrace, which he absolutely will not allow.

Thus, having the Shuanggou Town police station assist in the investigation is practically heaven-sent, because its chief is Geng Miao's wife, Zhang Zhaoxia.

Once Chief Lin's order is issued, the Shuanggou Town police station must obey unconditionally; then he'll want to see whether, when Zhang Zhaoxia leads a team to make arrests, the Shuanggou Daqu will hand over the people.

If they refuse, he will order Zhang Zhaoxia to use force; if she defies his command, he will return and tell Chief Lin that the lower police station disobeyed orders, a matter that could even be escalated to the County Party Committee leadership for study and resolution. If Zhang Zhaoxia decides to go ahead and arrest people, then the situation will become quite a spectacle.

He could think of all this, and Lin Zhinan certainly could as well; otherwise his head wouldn't be buzzing. In the whole Lieshan County, Geng Miao is an absolute authority, but Zhang Zhaoxia, that tigress, is no pushover; otherwise, with so many lovers of Geng Miao, why couldn't any rise to prominence? They've all been kept down firmly by Zhang Zhaoxia.

This woman, aside from having a gun, is also quite ruthless in her methods; in her eyes, the Public Security Bureau Director really has no standing. Yet he has no choice but to issue this order.