Chapter 92: Conference Room
Chapter 92: Conference Room
Around 5 in the evening, in the middle of the conference room of Jian'an City's Mayor's Office.
The aura inside the conference room was quite constrained, with a single war going on between multiple parties, daggers drawn. With tightened fists, Fang Liping stood up to present her report to the two members of the Special Investigation Committee.
"Since the Special Investigation Committee members are already here, let me present a brief report about our Jian'an's Public Security Bureau's accomplishments. During a fierce gang fight recently, our criminal police squad was able to root out the criminal syndicate known as the Dragon-Tiger Gang, capturing all of their gangsters on the spot, in one fell swoop. And during this operation, we discovered through some oral confessions and other evidence that many officials of Jian'an were involved with the Dragon-Tiger Gang, and other crime syndicates, giving and taking benefits and bribes. The following are the findings I and vice squad leader of the criminal police have summarized"
Fang Liping emotions were in a disorder today. For years, she had waited for the day she could bring the prime criminal involved in the case of her husband's death, Liu Jianguo, to justice. But now, the evidence that was necessary to spell his doom, the Dragon-Tiger Gang's Accounts Book, had actually turned to ash. This resulted in the loss of her only opportunity to give a fatal end to Liu Jianguo, and she had no doubt she would not get another chance.
Now, Fang Liping could only pray that the criminal police vice squad leader, Yan Longyong, could, somehow, come up with enough evidence that they could use against the enemy.
"That was a brief overview of the report. There are a lot of government officials involved in the case, and our evidence is also plenty, but first we will need to wait for the criminal police vice squad leader, Yan Longyong's arrival. He will present a more detailed report, and also submit the oral confessions and other related evidence."
Basically, what Fang Liping reported was what they had been told by the arrested gangsters of the Dragon-Tiger Gang. And although they had mentioned the names of many officials, she didn't name anyone. After all, it would be tantamount to slandering the officials if she couldn't produce concrete evidence to prove their guilt.
"Old Zheng, take a look, this case sure is quite complex"
Once done listening to Fang Liping's report, Zhu Li slightly smiled and turned his head towards Zheng Liangbo to inquire about his thoughts on the matter.
"Indeed! The case is far too broad now that it involves government officials of Jian'an City It will be your Anti-Corruption Bureau's responsibility to strictly deal with those corrupt officials."
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Zheng Liangbo was not a veteran in name only, and he knew that Zhu Li was just giving him face by first asking for his opinion on the matter. Naturally, Zheng Liangbo also clarified his position as someone who had only come to Jian'an as a deterrence if the case was as they claimed it to be. After all, if no solid evidence could be produced against those officials, they wouldn't be able to do anything anyway.
"Deputy Director Zhu, Deputy Director Zheng, who would have known there would be so many vermins among the officials of Jian'an. It's all due to our carelessness. As the Secretary of Jian'an's Municipal Committee, I am ashamed and can't be forgiven for such slight. These officials who dared collude with the Dragon-Tiger Gang, took bribes, and are so corrupt can definitely not be forgiven!"
Those righteous words were flowing out of the Municipal Committee's Secretary, Liu Jianguo's mouth, seeming natural. What's more, he even changed his words and began praising Fang Liping, "This time, it's all thanks to the coordination between Mayor Fang and vice squad leader Yan that such a massive case could be cracked like such. I would like to represent all 500,000 over citizens of Jian'an and thank Mayor Fang and Vice Squad Leader Yan in everyone's stead. Meanwhile, I also hope that Mayor Fang can produce enough evidence so we can capture and punish these heretics who completely disregard the law!"
As Liu Jianguo said those words, his lips curved up into a slight smile as he was immensely pleased with his ability to act. But even though he said all those words earnestly, how was it possible for Fang Liping to not know Liu Jianguo was taunting her and subliminally saying she wouldn't be able to produce any evidence.
Still, Fang Liping couldn't show any weakness even if the Accounts Book had been burnt down. She rubbed her hands with a smile, stood up, and said to Liu Jianguo, "Secretary Liu, this is all thanks to our criminal police and I don't have much contribution in the matter. I dare not accept your praise. Moreover, I must say that Secretary Liu made an even greater contribution compared to myself! As for the evidence, please rest assured, everyone; we will produce enough evidence that Secretary Liu, and everyone else here, will be convinced by it."
Yan Longyong had yet to bring the evidence for the case, yet the people in the conference hall could already smell gunpowder in the air through the debate that happened between the two people.
At this time, Su Lin was sitting in a police car with Yan Longyong, and furiously writing down the records from the Accounts Book in his memory in large characters and digits.
That's right! Su Lin was using his exceptional Eidetic Memory to bring the Accounts Book back into its original form.
"Su Lin, you Are you really confident about it?"
Inside the police car, Yan Longyong had sweat running down his forehead as he asked anxiously. He, too, was working hard to organize all of the evidence and materials connected to the case.
"Chief Yan, rest assured! I guarantee you there won't be the slightest difference between the Accounts Book I write out and the one that was burnt down!"
Su Lin kept on writing down, while adding in his heart, 'Without the Dragon-Tiger Gang's Swiss bank account number and password, obviously!'
Now that the Accounts Book had been burnt down, it was impossible for someone else to find out that account number and its password. However, all that was unimportant as Su Lin intended to transfer the money inside that anonymous account to himself. Swiss Banks were the haven for corrupt officials and crime syndicates, and it was through them that the criminals laundered money to foreign countries. Their security was so high that even the FBI couldn't trace the transactions and identity of the people, so there was no need for Su Lin to worry about it being exposed. (TL: Let's not talk about the authenticity of these claims and take them to be true in Su Lin's alternate universe.)
"Su Lin, this time, all of mine and Mayor Fang's expectations rest on your shoulders. Whether we can completely exterminate Liu Jianguo and his gang now completely depends on whether you can restore the Accounts Book to its original form."
Yan Longyong was badly exhausted by now. Mayor Fang Liping had already called him multiple times and urged him to hurry up and get to the Mayor's Office as soon as possible. Moreover, according to what she said, the situation didn't seem to be very positive and if they couldn't bring out the Accounts Book, then it would be impossible for them to topple Liu Jianguo.
"Chief, we have arrived at the Mayor's office."
As Xiao Li stopped the police car at the entrance of the Mayor's Office, they realized that the sky had already turned dark. As Su Lin looked at the time, he saw that it was already around 6 in the evening.
"Su Lin, have you finished writing down the Accounts Book?"
As he got out with the file containing all evidence in his hands, Yan Longyong asked hurriedly.
"I am about done, Chief Yan. Let's go inside first; I will be done in a while."
"Great! Su Lin, follow me!"
Yan Longyong immediately walked towards the conference hall with Su Lin in tow.
"Excuse me for arriving late, Mayor Fang!"
Opening the door of the conference room, Yan Longyong walked inside together with Su Lin. The conference room was currently full with the senior officials of Jian'an, and there were two officials from the Special Investigation Committee sitting in the seats of honor. Their prestige and momentum alone was enough to suppress all the other officials inside the conference hall.
"Chief Yan, you are finally here! Please give a detailed report of the case to the two honorable guests of the Special Investigation Committee sent by the Provincial Authorities."
Fang Liping relaxed once she saw Yan Longyong arriving, but when she remembered the Accounts Book had already been burnt, her heart fell once more. As the matter stood, they absolutely had no evidence to convict Liu Jianguo. And when Fang Liping saw Su Lin following behind Yan Longyong, surprise filled her heart as she wondered, 'Su Lin? What is he doing here? Moreover, what's he doing in that notebook? Drawing?'
"Understood, Mayor Fang! Leaders of the Special Investigation Committee, and my fellow colleagues of Jian'an City, I will now present to you the details of the big case we cracked this time."
Yan Longyong forced himself to be calm and presented the file containing the case materials and evidence, "As we all know, the Dragon-Tiger Gang is our Jian'an City's biggest underground force, and has been wreaking havoc for a long while. The leaders of the Dragon-Tiger Gang are their Brother Dragon and Brother Tiger. From dealing in arms to selling drugs, and even bribing many of our Jian'an City's officials There's nothing they aren't involved in. This time, we had a fierce encounter with the Dragon-Tiger Gang, and this resulted in us capturing their entire underground base and everyone inside in one fell swoop. We captured a total of 73 gangsters, and one of the two leaders of the Dragon-Tiger Gang, Brother Tiger. We recovered 780,000 Yuan in black money, 35 KG of drugs, and many armaments and ammunition"
Yan Longyong first started by reporting the details of the encounter, and the inventory of the goods they had seized from the possession of the Dragon-Tiger Gang, and the money they recovered. After that, Yan Longyong changed the topic of his conversation and began talking about the corrupt officials who had been colluding with the Dragon-Tiger Gang in Jian'an City, "This time, not only did we successfully eradicate the Dragon-Tiger Gang and all of their influence, but we also discovered evidence of the collusion between various government officials and the gang."
Saying this, Yan Longyong took in a deep breath and looked towards Fang Liping for her suggestion over what to do. Fang Liping simply nodded towards him, her meaning clear: 'You should say what you need to say without holding back for any reason. No matter what it is, let everyone know!'
"According to our investigation, the officials involved in the case are as follows: Secretary of the Municipal Committee, Liu Jianguo. Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee, Liu Sunmin. Director of the Finance Bureau, He Jianhui. The Deputy Director of the Traffic Department, Yang Shunyi"
Yan Longyong listed the names of dozens of officials in high positions, as well as lower leveled officials. From the Secretary of the Municipal Committee to the ordinary officials, none were left out. This was a list he had asked Su Lin to organize beforehand. And now, mentioning all the names of the people involved in the presence of the two officials from the Special Investigation Committee, and the many high ranking officials of Jian'an was no different than dropping a bomb on everyone's head.
Immediately, the scene in the conference room turned heated.
Let alone everything else, just the fact that Yan Longyong had mentioned Liu Jianguo in his report was enough to shock everyone. What's more? Almost all of the senior officials present in the conference room had their names mentioned, too.
"Old Yan, you shouldn't speak anything without basis! That's no different than framing someone over personal grievances. You said that I, Old Yan, took bribes from the Dragon-Tiger Gang and even colluded with them, so why don't you take out the evidence for all of us to see?! If you can't produce any evidence, your words would be nothing short of slander. How dare you do something like that in the presence of the honorable officials of the Special Investigation Committee?"
"Ah! Old Yan, just because your criminal police solved a major case, it doesn't mean you can falsely implicate us honest officials! Your courage sure isn't small for you to dare falsely accuse so many honest officials like this! Not only did you accuse Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee, but you even went ahead and accused so many of the senior officials? Do you really believe Secretary Liu is someone who would have any relationship with that Dragon-Tiger Gang?"
At once, Yan Longyong became the target of everyone's criticism. Everybody in the conference office pointed their spears at his head.
"Everyone, please calm down! Calm down please!"
The one speaking and pounding on the table was none other than Liu Jianguo, Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee. Different from everyone else, Liu Jianguo was not only unhurried, he had no anxiety to speak of either. Without getting angry in the least, he smiled and said to Yan Longyong, "Comrade Yan Longyong, your criminal police did a great service and I dare not question your abilities (in catching criminals). Even if I am the Secretary of the Municipal Committee, it's only right for me to be punished like other criminals if I break any law. However, Comrade Yan Longyong, this is no food market, nor is this your back garden, so you must produce evidence of the claims you just made. According to your words, I and many of our other colleagues were colluding with the Dragon-Tiger Gang, so I would like to request that you produce evidence to prove those claims. This time, it's Deputy Director Zhu and Deputy Director Zheng of the Special Investigation Committee who are in charge of the situation, so I will leave everything up to their great judgement."
Liu Jianguo magnanimously spoke and turned the spotlight towards Zhu Li and Zheng Liangbo. Not only to gain clout, but also because he believed that now that the Accounts Book had been burnt to ash, there was no way Yan Longyong would be able to produce any evidence.