"You can take it back! The driver is downstairs."
It's always been this way. The woman obediently walked towards the bathroom. There were countless won around Yao Zheng; she was just holding a spot under the title of his wife, yet in reality, she was less than these won. They hadn't seen each other for half a year, hadn't played the part for half a year either. "I'll take my leave now, are you coming back for dinner tonight?"
Just asking, never truly expecting a reply, never truly hoping for him to co ho. The woman, filled with pain in her heart, walked out of that luxurious room. She took the exclusive elevator straight down to the ground and entered the black sedan to leave.
Breathed out a sigh, Yao Zheng sat in the leather chair, his fists clenched tight, his nails digging into his skin. He gritted his teeth to suppress the anger boiling inside. Won are skilled at lying, and the closer they are to you, the more likely they are to betray you, driven by greed and insatiable desires.
The phone on the table emitted a constant red light. It was a dedicated internal line only used in extrely urgent situations. Yao Zheng stared at it blankly, as if he'd never noticed it before, and reluctantly picked it up.
"District Chief, there's been a major incident." Ji Weihua's voice on the other end was almost in tears.
"What happened?" Yao Zheng's heart was in his throat; Ji Weihua was rarely this panic-stricken.
"The brickyard was bombed!"
"What? Which brickyard?" Holding a glimr of hope, Yao Zheng still asked, though he already had the answer in his heart.
"The Bluestone Brickyard, it's been blown to ruins." Yao Zheng couldn't stand any longer and collapsed into the leather chair. "I've been trying to reach you all night. Are you at ho or the office? I'll co find you!"
"Office!" Yao Zheng spat out the three words and hung up the phone. Sweat beads unnaturally ford on his forehead. How was he going to face that angelic woman and bear her wrath? The loss of the brickyard didn't pain him much. For the first ti, he felt as if he was nearing the end of his life. He looked around the room in a daze, his sluggish mind slowly beginning to process.
"There was no sign beforehand. We caught two people from the North District less than twenty-four hours ago, and the brickyard had already been compromised." Ji Weihua wanted to say whether it was a retaliation from Hua Qingyi's group, but changed his words last minute.
"What's the extent of the damage this ti?"
"Impossible to estimate. From the looks of the scene, the death toll is nearly a hundred." Ji Weihua's hand trembled as he held the docunt. He too understood the implications. During the ti he waited outside the district governnt building, he hesitated, but upon seeing a black sedan slowly erging from within, he made up his mind.
"Did everyone inside die?"
"Our people conducted an overnight examination on the bodies. They had already perished before the explosions. Even though we intentionally recruited those without family backgrounds, the blast's reach was too swift. I got a call from the City Police Departnt prior to coming here; they've taken full charge of the case. We're reduced to supporting roles without the authority to interfere, aning the brickyard bombing is directly under city control." As Ji Weihua spoke, he kept an eye on Yao Zheng's expression, witnessing the alternating pallor and flush on his face, feeling a joy he never had before.
"When are their people arriving?"
"If all goes as predicted, they should be here at sunrise. Our ti is limited."
"Have the two people we caught confessed?"
"No!" Ji Weihua paused to think. "District Chief Yao, should we consider negotiating with Hua Qingyi's group? We find ourselves caught in the middle now, and it's a difficult path."
"Wei Huai, if it were you, which side would you choose?"
"I think I would choose Hua Qingyi." Without waiting for Yao Zheng to ask for reasons, Ji Weihua continued. "Fourth Lord isn't soone who follows the official route. If we persist in following her, we'll end up in dire straits. I've estimated the brickyard's loss at tens of millions; those goods hadn't shipped before everything exploded. We can't bear it. Perhaps cooperating with Hua Qingyi offers a glimr of hope."
"That's not your genuine intent. Don't give those high-sounding excuses; tell your real thoughts."
"Yes, District Chief Yao." From the mont Ji Weihua entered, Yao Zheng hadn't invited him to sit, as if he forgot or for another reason. Ji Weihua sat on a chair on his own accord, Yao Zheng glanced at him without saying anything. "Given the current circumstances, we can shift all accountability onto Fourth Lord. The outco of collaborating with Hua Qingyi is diverting his attention, resolving the big issue first, then confronting the smaller problem. Additionally, I hope District Chief Yao will rcilessly deal with Yan Juanjuan; staying alive serves us no good."
Yao Zheng finally understood what it ant to be ruthless. He too had thought about it but never dared to execute such sches. He applied multiple tis for city leaders to personally address the public regarding the Beigong bombing incident, but there's no response from that side. He's now uncertain whether Hua Muyun will co; his plan may be shelved.
"District Chief Yao, we genuinely have no ti left. If you're still hesitating, by the ti Xie Tianfang speaks up, it'll be too late to negotiate."
"Wei Huai, have you considered that negotiations require an excuse, and whichever point we present amounts to a capital offense. Who takes the bla? You or ?"
Yao Zheng's words rendered Ji Weihua montarily speechless. He hadn't really considered such a possibility. Yao Zheng's words were clear: this plan could be executed but stepping into the breach would an Ji Weihua. It couldn't possibly be the district chief taking the fall! Among his four associates, three had been captured and the status was unknown. He was the single possibility for an escape; Yan Juanjuan no longer had any value.
Seeing Ji Weihua's reticence, Yao Zheng chuckled twice. It was to be expected; he seed not to bla him. "This matter requires careful planning; let's find an appropriate approach."
"No, District Chief Yao, there's still soone who can be utilized." Ji Weihua suddenly rembered soone and whispered a few lines in Yao Zheng's ear. The latter hesitated, shaking his head. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian) to cast recomndation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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