422: Chapter 375 Southwest Storm XI 422: Chapter 375 Southwest Storm XI The next morning, a light rain fell over Nanming, the sky overcast with clouds.
At 8:20 AM, three cars bearing special license plates arrived consecutively at the Yanhuang Organization in a light drizzle.
The three vehicles belonged to Ma Chaoyang, the head of the Southwest Police, and the directors of the Security and Ard Police departnts.
After getting out of the cars, the accompanying drivers simultaneously offered to hold umbrellas for them, but all three n refused.
They exchanged greetings and then walked shoulder to shoulder into the Yanhuang Organization Southwest Office building.
In a small eting room on the top floor, Zhou Wu, the head of the Yanhuang Organization in the Southwest Region, sat at the head of the table, his face extrely grim as he reviewed the report titled “On the failed capture of the brothers Li Kui and Li Wei.”
Last night, he had deployed two n to assist the Nan Li Police with the Martial Police in capturing Li Kui.
Li Kui had managed to escape using the stratagem “Golden Cicada Shelling,” and during the early hours, news ca that Li Kui, while fleeing with Li Wei, had driven their car into a valley, causing an explosion.
The car was destroyed and both were reported dead, leaving not even whole bodies, let alone intact parts behind.
Upon receiving this news, Zhou Wu felt even more strongly that there was sothing fishy about the whole affair.
Thus, in his capacity as Deputy Head of the Leadership Group and Head of the Special Task Force, he organized a eting with heads from the Yanhuang Organization, the police, the Security Departnt, and the Ard Police to report back to the leadership.
Three minutes later, the office director of the Yanhuang Organization Southwest Office brought Ma Chaoyang and his party to the eting room door, gestured for them to enter, then turned around to instruct his staff to prepare tea.
He then wisely chose to leave.
Because… he could tell that Zhou Wu’s mood and expression were even darker than today’s sky, and barging in uninvited would have been asking for trouble.
“Director Zhou.”
Upon entering the eting room, Ma Chaoyang and his partners greeted Zhou Wu.
Their attitude was not polite, rely perfunctory.
Although Zhou Wu had grown accustod to this, his mood today was exceptionally poor, and he did not respond, not even bothering to nod curtly, but instead looked coldly at Ma Chaoyang.
“Director Ma, I need an explanation.”
Shortly after Ma Chaoyang and his party took their seats, Zhou Wu picked up the report from the table and questioned coldly.
“Director Zhou, what kind of explanation do you want?” Ma Chaoyang played dumb.
“Yanhuang Organization collaborated with the Ard Police to assist your police force in capturing Nanqinghong’s core mber, Li Kui, yet due to your subordinates’ command error, Li Kui escaped—Are your subordinates all incompetent?
How was the capture plan devised?”
Zhou Wu had been convinced since last night that there was a foul play involved in the capture, and seeing Ma Chaoyang feign ignorance, the anger he had suppressed for days suddenly erupted, his tone quite hostile.
“Director Zhou, watch your language.”
Facing Zhou Wu’s fury, Ma Chaoyang, who was of lower rank, was not frightened but instead chose to confront him head on.
“What do you an by ‘Are your subordinates all incompetent’?
You are well aware that last night’s operation was devised after a eting between three departnts, and it was only commanded by our police.
Li Kui strategically allowed his n to fall into our trap to distract us, enabling him to escape with his brother Li Wei.
This wasn’t a command error, but a flaw in the capture plan.
If responsibility must be assigned, none of our three departnts can escape bla!
So please, do not push all the responsibility onto the police!”
“You…”
Perhaps it was because Ma Chaoyang was speaking frankly, Zhou Wu found himself choked and unable to respond.
“Director Zhou, Director Ma, it’s best for everyone to stay calm when we et for a conference.”
“That’s right, we should focus on facts and there’s no need to get heated.”
Seeing that Zhou Wu and Ma Chaoyang were imdiately confrontational upon eting, the heads of the military police and the security departnt naturally tried to diate and play peacemakers.
“Fine, fine, fine, let’s just say the capture operation last night failed because there was a problem with the plan!”
Zhou Wu coldly spoke, his face still full of anger as he stared straight at Ma Chaoyang and said, word by word, “Then tell , why, after discovering that the brothers Li Kui and Li Wei had an accident, did your police not inform the rest of the departnts and proceeded to handle it on your own?”
“Director Zhou, traffic accidents have always been handled by the traffic police departnt, haven’t they?
Since when did handling traffic accidents require reporting to the Yanhuang Organization?” Ma Chaoyang’s tone was equally cold.
“It’s true that traffic accidents are handled by your police, but…
don’t forget, the person who was in the accident was Li Kui!
He was a Postnatal Perfect Martial Artist who died in a traffic accident, do you think that’s possible?” Zhou Wu was poised as if he was determined to get to the bottom of it.
“Director Zhou, I need to remind you, after last night’s traffic accident, nobody knew that the deceased were the brothers Li Kui and Li Wei.
After their car went off the cliff and exploded, there was nothing left of the bodies.”
Ma Chaoyang said each word deliberately, “We took photos at the scene to preserve evidence of the accident and then had the bodies sent to the crematorium.
Just before cremation, we discovered so items related to Martial Artists on the bodies, and from there we traced and confird the identities of Li Kui and his brother Li Wei.”
“If Director Zhou has any doubts, you can send soone to ask the duty staff at the Nanli Crematorium; they’ll know the truth.”
At the end, seeing Zhou Wu’s expression grow even more sullen, Ma Chaoyang added nonchalantly.
“Again, do you think a Postnatal Perfect Martial Artist would drive himself off a cliff?” Zhou Wu laughed bitterly in extre anger, “I’m telling you, this is impossible!
Even if there had been an accident, with Li Kui’s Martial Artist prowess, he could have definitely escaped during the car’s descent!”
“Director Zhou, our police handle cases based on evidence, not conjecture,” Ma Chaoyang rebutted once again.
“Ma Chaoyang!”
Continuously rebuffed by Ma Chaoyang, Zhou Wu beca thoroughly enraged.
He slamd the conference table hard and said in a stern voice, “Don’t play word gas with here!
You think I’m unaware of the tricks behind this?
Are you trying to force to expose so unknown secrets at the leadership team eting?”
“That’s within your rights, Director Zhou.
I have no authority to interfere or stop you,” Ma Chaoyang said with a smile as he spread his hands.
“Fine, fine, fine, I want to see if you, Ma Chaoyang, can really fool everyone!” Zhou Wu said furiously, his face turning steely blue.
Unfazed, Ma Chaoyang, looking calm, took out a cigarette, ignited it, and gently inhaled.
The heads of the military police and the security departnt glanced at each other, no longer playing peacemakers, but chose wisely to remain silent.
With their status, although they were far from the top echelon, it did not an they could not discern the power struggles among the top from various signs.
“Considering Comrade Ma Chaoyang’s attitude, I suggest we end this eting here and discuss everything at the leadership group eting!” Zhou Wu gritted his teeth, making a decision.
“Beep~”
This ti.
Without waiting for Ma Chaoyang and the others to speak, a special communicator on Zhou Wu’s wrist rang.
Upon hearing the sound, Zhou Wu lifted his wrist and was shocked to discover it was a call from the headquarters of the Yanhuang Organization.
This discovery drastically changed his expression, and without greeting Ma Chaoyang and his group, he got up and headed for the door of the conference room.
Hmm?
Seeing this scene, the heads of the police and security departnts were sowhat curious about who could be calling to make Zhou Wu so nervous.
Did Little Fan make a move against Zhou Wu?
At the sa ti, Ma Chaoyang’s mind stirred, thinking of sothing.
“Hello, Elder Teng.”
Seconds later, Zhou Wu stepped out of the small conference room, took the call with utmost respect, yet felt a sense of unease.
All this because the Elder Teng he ntioned was in charge of personnel at the Yanhuang Organization, holding all power over the appointnt and dismissal of mbers, just like Xing Feng of the Punishnt Hall, wielding great authority and being a figure all middle and lower-level mbers sought to please.
“Zhou Wu, considering your service at the Southwest Office, your ineffective administration over the local Jianghu, leading to the ‘Tiger Roar Manor explosion incident’ and ‘Wudang Martial Arts Hall shooting incident,’ has caused a huge uproar and a very bad influence.
Based on the Elder Council’s decision, you are hereby removed from your position as the Director of the Yanhuang Organization Southwest Office, and you must report back to headquarters within 24 hours!”
As Zhou Wu’s voice fell, a deep and authoritative voice ca through the receiver, sounding like a devilish chant from Hell, assaulting Zhou Wu’s consciousness and turning his face pale instantly!
“Elder…
Elder Teng…”
Recovering from the shock, Zhou Wu tightened his lips, trying to say sothing.
“Zhou Wu, did you not hear clearly, or did you not understand?” Elder Teng coldly interrupted him.
“No…
no…”
Zhou Wu’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he ultimately swallowed the words he wanted to say.
“Now that you understand, how should you respond?” Elder Teng asked in a cold voice.
“Yes, Elder Teng, I will return to the headquarters within the prescribed ti…” This ti, without letting Zhou Wu finish his words, Elder Teng ended the call.
“Beep…
beep…”
Listening to the busy signal from the receiver, Zhou Wu stood frozen in place as if an immobilization spell had been cast on him.
“Director Zhou, will we continue the eting?
If not, we’ll leave.”
A minute later, Ma Chaoyang, along with two other departnt heads, walked out of the conference room, seeing the ghostly pale Zhou Wu and they almost confird their suspicion, intentionally provoking him.
Without responding, Zhou Wu turned his head and glanced at Ma Chaoyang.
At this mont, there was no trace of anger on his face, just desolation and bewildernt.
It seed…
even now, he couldn’t believe he had been dismissed!
“Oh, right, I just rembered, Director Zhou, you just said the eting is canceled and everything should be discussed at the leadership team eting, right?” Seeing his expression, Ma Chaoyang deliberately slapped his forehead as if he had just realized sothing.
“Ma Chaoyang!” Zhou Wu gritted his teeth.
“Zhou Wu, there’s a difference in people’s worth, and one should also know one’s place—you act like a chariot, horse, and cannon, pushing forward when you’re no more than a pawn.
Isn’t that asking for humiliation?”
Seeing that the timing was just right, Ma Chaoyang stopped pretending to be foolish, his face a mix of scorn and mockery.
Swish!
As Ma Chaoyang’s words rang in his ears, Zhou Wu’s initially gloomy face turned crimson and then instantly paled to an ashen hue, like a chaleon.
Watching this, Ma Chaoyang felt the anger in his heart subside, and without further provocation, he left with a smile.
The other two departnt heads, guessing what might have happened, sighed secretly at Ma Chaoyang’s ruthlessness but pretended to be oblivious, not even greeting Zhou Wu as they followed Ma Chaoyang out.
Not even a pawn?
Watching the three n retreat, Zhou Wu silently questioned himself.
Yes!
The answer erged, and Zhou Wu’s face was stricken with tragedy!
…
…(To be continued.
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