Chapter 437: Exchange

The Municipal Public Security Bureau Chief, along with the Director of the Political Department and the Municipal Criminal Investigation Detachment Captain, received us boisterously in the conference room.

I got straight to the point, without any hesitation, and immediately demanded that the Municipal Bureau release the people.

The Municipal Bureau Chief neither opposed nor agreed. He just smiled on his face and invited us to drink tea.

The Political Department Director spoke first, starting with a bunch of grand principles that made me dizzy and irritable. Finally, he brought out the instructions from the Provincial Department, saying the case was closed, but that didn't mean they wouldn't investigate further. Especially regarding torture to extract confessions and the consequences of dereliction of duty, they must be handled strictly.

I was extremely unhappy. If we were talking about torture to extract confessions, the person was in your Municipal Bureau, and the interrogators were your Municipal Bureau's people; what did that have to do with my Chunshan County? As for dereliction of duty, my two Chunshan County officers were cooperating with your Municipal Bureau's work; although they were part of the special case team, they held no positions, so dereliction of duty was miles away from them. Was there any point in saying these superficial things?

The Municipal Bureau Chief clearly saw the meaning on my face. After the Political Department Director finished speaking, he said slowly, "How about we ask the Detachment Captain to introduce the case?"

I had no interest in listening to their case analysis; police investigation methods were strange and varied. Case analysis was their internal business, and what they told an outsider like me might not be the truth. I immediately rejected the Municipal Bureau Chief's suggestion and asked, "Chief, how do you intend to handle these two people?"

The Municipal Bureau Chief didn't take my bait at all and said with a smile, "Since County Magistrate Chen has come to the city, our bureau must treat you well. After all, your Chunshan County contributed to this case. Although the final result is unsatisfactory, you still deserve credit for taking down this criminal gang."

I climbed up the pole and said, "Thank you for the Chief's affirmation. That makes the efforts of our county bureau's officers worthwhile. All police under heaven are one family; fighting crime and maintaining social stability is everyone's common responsibility. However, our lack of experience and ability is an undeniable reality. So, our coming here this time is first to learn from the comrades of the Municipal Bureau. Another meaning is to ask the Chief to consider it from multiple angles; it would be best if merits and demerits could cancel each other out, allowing us to get past this hurdle."

The Municipal Bureau Chief didn't express his stance, and the Political Department Director kept his head down, not looking at me. Only the Criminal Investigation Detachment Captain looked around, seemingly having something to say.

The County Public Security Bureau Chief was familiar with the Detachment Captain and said with a fawning smile, "Captain Wu, what is your opinion?"

Detachment Captain Wu smiled indifferently and said, "I have no opinion. It's just that they are under investigation for their own protection. More importantly, they are being investigated by the Municipal Bureau's Discipline Inspection Commission, and our detachment can't do anything about it."

The ball kicked by Detachment Captain Wu was caught by both me and the County Bureau Chief. We both turned our eyes to look at the Municipal Bureau Chief. The people receiving us today were missing only the people from the Municipal Bureau's Discipline Inspection Commission. It seemed they had known our purpose for coming and arranged it this way on purpose, leaving us nowhere to bite.

The Municipal Bureau Chief comforted us, saying, "Please rest assured. It's just an investigation; if the investigation shows nothing, they will continue to eat and poop as usual. It's good that you came today; talk to them and get them to hand over the list left behind by the self-determined criminal Lao Can, and everything will be fine."

I was startled, remembering the list we had discussed on the road; it seemed it was true. And the Municipal Bureau hadn't obtained this list.

If Hao Qiang and Lao Mo really had this list, why didn't they hand it over? I couldn't figure it out.

"Is that so?" I asked, feigning surprise, my heart skipping a beat. "Why don't they hand it over?"

"We have done the ideological work. They are tight-lipped and say there is no such thing. If they ruin their future because of this, we can't help them either. People must understand some principles; don't be stubborn," the Political Department Director said coldly, tapping a pen lightly on the notebook in front of him.

"Maybe there is no such thing," I said lightly, then laughed and said, "If there were such a list, they wouldn't need to hide it."

"Whether there is or not, they know in their hearts. Besides, what do we do? Would we have smoke without fire?" Detachment Captain Wu said with contempt, his eyes sweeping over me with disdain. Falling on the County Bureau Chief, he said unhappily, "If this were my officer, I'd be surprised if I didn't slap him to death."

The County Bureau Chief was unhappy and said sullenly, "It's my fault for not educating them well."

The Municipal Bureau Chief laughed and said, "It has nothing to do with you. This list is designated by the Provincial Department to be found. It is a state secret. If they remain obsessed and don't repent, the consequences will be very serious."

My heart skipped another beat. The Provincial Department designated that this list be found, which meant Provincial Governor Lin wanted it. Provincial Governor Lin was so concerned about this list; could there be something shameful inside? Thinking of Provincial Governor Lin's incognito visit to Chunshan County, I felt there was something fishy here.

"How about letting us see them and do some work?" I asked tentatively.

"Fine, we will wait for your news." The Municipal Bureau Chief stood up and said solemnly to us, "I will have someone bring them here."

After speaking, he took the Political Department Director and the Detachment Captain and went out. Only the two of us were left in the conference room, looking at each other.

Before long, we heard footsteps, and then we saw Hao Qiang and Lao Mo push the door and enter.

Accompanying them were two officers who smiled politely when they saw us but didn't enter. They closed the conference room door and stood outside.

Lao Mo had a face full of stubble, seemingly not having shaved for a long time, looking extremely haggard. He glared at the door and said viciously, "Damn it, they really treat me like a criminal."

Hao Qiang smiled weakly, his face flushed. It was as if the illness in his body was showing signs.

I asked worriedly, "Director Hao, are you okay?"

Hao Qiang smiled weakly, held onto the chair to sit down, looked at us, and said, "I'm not dead yet."

The County Bureau Chief and I laughed pretentiously, wanting to continue talking but not knowing where to start.

It was Lao Mo who broke the silence, shouting in alarm, "How did the two leaders think of us today?"

Didn't this contain sarcasm? How could we not hear it?

The Bureau Director immediately shouted, "Lao Mo, how are you talking?"

Lao Mo looked as if he had suffered a great grievance, blinked his eyes a few times, and almost cried. After holding it in for a long time, he sighed and said, "I thought you had forgotten about us."

"How could that be?" I comforted him, "Lao Mo, set your heart at ease. We came here today specifically for your matter. It's just that we have some questions. How did you end up investigating yourselves while investigating the case?"

When Lao Mo heard this, he cursed, "Those bastards, they have no conscience. I am upright and don't fear a crooked shadow. Let them come. They want to make us scapegoats, no way."

Hao Qiang looked at the closed door and whispered to stop Lao Mo, "Brother Mo, don't be agitated. The truth will come out."

Hao Qiang was a national outstanding police officer, with a halo over his head. The Municipal Bureau actually investigated him the same way, showing that the matter was indeed as they said—no small matter.

"Scapegoats?" I chewed on this word, unable to figure it out.

"Exactly scapegoats," Lao Mo lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Hao Qiang and I, although we are said to be members of the special case team, can't even touch the edge of it. We are not allowed to be present during their interrogations. After they finish interrogating, they hand the person over to us to guard. A perfectly fine person goes in and comes out staggering. Who knows what they did."

"Did you report these situations to the organization?" I asked. The doubts in my heart grew even larger.

"Organization?" Lao Mo sneered, "Who do you want me to believe?"

"Believe in the organization."

"Where is the organization?"

"We are."

Lao Mo looked at us carefully for a long time, burst into laughter, and said happily, "Good, the organization has arrived."

I asked, "Lao Mo, I heard you have a list in your hands?"

Lao Mo looked at me vigilantly. I saw his peripheral vision glance at Hao Qiang. He said with an innocent look, "List? What list? How come I don't know?"

"The list left behind by Lao Can," I said, emphasizing my tone, "You don't know?"

Both of them shook their heads in unison.

The County Bureau Chief and I looked at each other, and doubts arose.

I was about to continue questioning, but Hao Qiang stopped me with his eyes. He extended his finger, dipped a little water in the teacup in front of him, and wrote a character on the table. When I looked, it was the character "Jian" (Supervision/Prison).

I looked at him inexplicably, and he smiled faintly, pointed outside the door, and then pointed at the corner of the wall above. Only then did I notice that cameras were installed in the corners of the wall.

A fire suddenly rose in my heart, thinking that the Municipal Bureau Chief and the others might be standing in some room right now, watching the four of us perform; I wanted to curse!

The County Bureau Chief was an old hand at this, immediately stood up calmly, paced to the door pretending to smoke, listened carefully for a while, turned around, walked to my side, and secretly pressed a little hard on my shoulder.

I understood; there was someone outside the door, and they were eavesdropping.

I followed Hao Qiang's example, dipped a little tea, and wrote on the table: "Do you have it?"

Hao Qiang wrote the character "Have," then immediately reached out to wipe it away.

The County Bureau Chief and I looked at each other; Hao Qiang's character was like a bomb, blowing up all my previous deductions. Hao Qiang hadn't brought it out until now, and he was tight-lipped; it seemed this list had a significant background.

I had been wondering why they didn't bring out this list. If they handed over the list, they wouldn't have to be investigated. Why were they doing this? What was hidden inside? To make them take such a big risk?

I threw a cigarette to Lao Mo and threw the lighter to him as well.

Lao Mo caught it, smoked a few puffs, and asked me, "Is my wife okay?"

I didn't know how to answer for a moment. I hadn't had time to care about others during this time, nor had I paid attention to Li Lian's situation.

"She's fine," I said, "She doesn't know about your situation."

Lao Mo nodded and sighed, "It's good she doesn't know. I don't even know if I'm going to live or die this time."

I smiled and said, "It's not that serious. Don't think too much."

Lao Mo stubbed out the cigarette and said, "Don't fool me. You know what I do for a living; can I not see the mystery in this? This time, if they don't find a few scapegoats to die for them, they won't stop so easily."

"It's not that complicated," I said, throwing him another cigarette.

Lao Mo waved his hand and said, "No more. I haven't smoked during this time; I'm almost quit."

I asked in surprise, "They don't give you cigarettes?"

"There are cigarettes, and it's easy to smoke. I have to confess my problems," Lao Mo said with a bitter smile, "What problems do I have? What should I confess?"

"Indeed," I said.

"This is good, it helped me quit smoking. My woman doesn't know how happy she will be," Lao Mo laughed openly, but I could hear a hint of bitterness in his laughter.

"Go back and tell my wife, I'm busy," Lao Mo said, and stopped speaking.

I wanted to ask Hao Qiang, but Hao Qiang closed his eyes slightly, looking like an old monk in meditation.

I tapped the table, and the sound startled Hao Qiang. He opened his eyes, stared at me for a few seconds, and again dipped a little water from the teacup, writing: "Superior."

I looked at him, not understanding. Hao Qiang seemed a bit anxious and glared at me fiercely.

The Bureau Director raised a finger and pointed at the ceiling. Only then did a smile appear on his face, and he nodded affirmatively.

Hao Qiang wanted us to find the superior? Who is the superior? The Provincial Public Security Department, or the Ministry of Public Security?

He wrote the number "512." Then he stood up, walked to the door, and shouted, "Open the door."

The door opened, and four police officers entered, as if escorting criminals, two in a group, and took Hao Qiang and Lao Mo away.

The County Bureau Chief and I waited for a long time, but the Municipal Bureau Chief and the others didn't come in. I figured they wouldn't come, so I stood up and went out.

Outside the Municipal Bureau gate, I asked the County Bureau Chief, "Did you understand what Hao Qiang meant?"

The County Bureau Chief shook his head.

A fire rose in my heart again, damn it! If you didn't understand, why did you point at the ceiling? I thought you understood everything! If it were like this, I should have asked clearly in the first place.

Now there was only a set of numbers left; what did it mean?

I looked up and saw a large sign not far away that read "Public Security Bureau Reception House," and my heart stirred. I said to the County Bureau Chief, "Let's stay here tonight."

The County Bureau Chief hesitated and said, "The conditions here aren't very good. It's a reception house."

"That's right. Let's stay at the reception house. Save some money for the people of Chunshan County," I smiled, "You don't want to stay?"

How could the County Bureau Chief dare to say anything else? He immediately said, "If County Magistrate Chen can stay, why can't I?"

After speaking, he went to open a room. I said behind him, "Help me open room 512." ===== CHAPTER 438 =====