Best Young Master
Chapter 414 - 368 Southwest Storm 4

Chapter 414: Chapter 368 Southwest Storm 4

Two days later.

Wu Hu and his bodyguard, along with his key subordinates, were murdered, and the Nanming Martial Arts Hall of the Wudang Sect was attacked. These two incidents spread throughout Jianghu like lightning, causing shockwaves and creating an uproar.

Some believed these two incidents were independent events with no connection, while others thought there must be a causal relationship between them. Still others boldly speculated that these incidents were related to Ye Fan.

At nine o’clock on the same day, the party committee of Southern Xian Province convened an expanded committee meeting. Besides several heavyweights from the provincial government, key personnel such as Ma Chaoyang, the head of the police, the director of the Security Department, the head of the Armed Police Force, and the commander of the Military Region, all attended the meeting.

At eight forty, participants gradually entered the meeting room, nodding at each other but not conversing, giving the meeting room an especially solemn atmosphere.

All this because the attendees were well aware that today’s expanded meeting was definitely related to the shocking Jianghu incidents two days prior.

"Gentlemen, this is a document just sent from above. The senior leadership demands that we thoroughly investigate the Tiger Roar Manor bombing and the Wudang Martial Arts Hall shooting within three days, and severely punish the perpetrators."

As the participants had guessed, the meeting started with the top official of the Southwest holding a sealed red document and speaking in a grave and low tone, "Moreover, the document expressly states that if we are unable to solve the cases within three days, the pertinent departments above will form an investigation team to thoroughly examine the matter in our province. At that time, the responsible officials must assume responsibility for their negligence!"

Huh?

As the words of the top official echoed in his ears, the brows of the other participants furrowed, especially those of several officials directly involved in the cases, who looked extremely grim.

Ma Chaoyang was an exception.

Since his conversation with Ye Fan two days earlier, Ma Chaoyang had been waiting for instructions from the higher-ups.

Now, hearing the remarks of the top official and seeing the red document in his hands, he understood that Ye Fan’s words had become reality.

"How did he do it?"

As he grasped all this, confusion was written all over Ma Chaoyang’s face.

The confusion stemmed from his belief that even if Ye Fan had returned to the Ye Family and was valued by the elders, he couldn’t possibly intervene in senior-level decisions!

Even, he thought, Ye Wenhao, the most powerful contender to be the next helmsman of the Ye Family, couldn’t accomplish all this!

"Now, let us all study the document together to understand its spirit, and then the heads of the pertinent departments will report on the two cases."

The top official of the Southwest scanned the faces of those present. When his gaze met Ma Chaoyang’s puzzled look, he felt a bit of confusion himself and his eyes lingered on Ma Chaoyang for a few seconds longer, until Ma Chaoyang snapped back to attention, after which he moved his gaze away.

Seeing this, other participants looked towards Ma Chaoyang with some confusion, each harboring their own thoughts.

"Next, please, the responsible officials will report on these two cases."

A few minutes later, after the participants studied the document, grasped its spirit, and heightened their political understanding, the top official put down the encrypted red document and turned his gaze to Zhou Wu, one of the giants of the Southwest political scene, and said, "First, let Comrade Zhou Wu report."

"Now, I will report on the investigation details of the Tiger Roar Manor bombing and the Wudang Martial Arts Hall shooting..."

Zhou Wu gave a slight nod, then took up the report prepared by his secretary and began to read aloud, which was mostly filled with platitudes and almost devoid of any substantive investigative information regarding the cases.

"Director Zhou, until what time does your report cover?" asked the top official after Zhou Wu had finished his report.

"Until six o’clock last evening," Zhou Wu replied boldly, meeting the top official’s gaze firmly.

"Do any other relevant department colleagues have additions? Or rather, have there been any new developments from last night at six o’clock to now?"

The top official seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Zhou Wu’s attitude but considered the special nature of the Yanhuang Organization and Zhou Wu’s usual approach and did not comment further but instead turned his gaze to other responsible officials, including Ma Chaoyang.

Hearing the words of the top official, the other responsible officials all looked down at the document, responding with silence.

"Secretary, let me report on our latest findings." Just then, Ma Chaoyang steadied himself and spoke up, breaking the silence in the meeting room.

Woosh!

Suddenly, including the top official, all participants turned their gaze to Ma Chaoyang. Zhou Wu’s expression darkened—since the two cases were primarily handled by the Yanhuang Organization with cooperation from the police and other relevant departments, Ma Chaoyang having new information and not reporting or communicating with him clearly showed a disregard for his authority!

"Good."

The top official nodded slightly, signaling Ma Chaoyang to continue.

"After the incidents occurred, members from both the police and the Yanhuang Organization jointly sealed off the crime scenes, protected them, and conducted a thorough search. Last night, my team found a specially made cell phone on the third search."

As he spoke, under the watchful eyes of the attendees, Ma Chaoyang slowly took out Wu Hu’s specially made cell phone and explained, "The police’s specialists quickly unlocked the phone and discovered that it belonged to Wu Hu, a victim of the Tiger Roar Manor bombing. Furthermore, we found a recording on the phone!"

Huh?

As Ma Chaoyang’s words ended, aside from Zhou Wu, the eyes of the other participants brightened.

Zhou Wu, however, squinted at Ma Chaoyang, his gaze filled with skepticism—after the incident, to find any clues left by Ye Fan, he had ordered multiple thorough searches of the crime scene without finding any evidence. Yet Ma Chaoyang had produced Wu Hu’s cell phone, how could he not be skeptical?

At the same time, he also felt a bad premonition—Ma Chaoyang obtaining Wu Hu’s cell phone and the recording and revealing it at the expanded committee meeting without informing him hinted at an underlying scheme; he absolutely didn’t believe there were no ulterior motives!

"Comrade Ma Chaoyang, play the recording for everyone to hear," said the top official, as Zhou Wu’s skepticism and unease grew, his tone becoming much lighter.

"Okay."

Ma Chaoyang nodded and then publicly played the recording of Wu Hu’s call with Ma San.

"Ma San, I was just nearly assassinated by a disciple of the Wudang Sect, almost losing my life to the Netherworld."

"Now, immediately take people and bloodily purge the Wudang Martial Arts Hall in Nanming. Remember, leave no one!"

"Yes, Mr. Hu!"

The recording was activated, and the conversation between Wu Hu and Ma San reverberated clearly into the ears of all attendees.

Shush!

Instantly, everone present, including the chief, changed their expressions!

Because... the recording provided by Director Ma revealed the inside stories of two cases!

"Director Ma, in both the Tiger Roar Manor explosion case and the Wudang Martial Arts Hall shooting, the perpetrator’s methods are very professional, even going so far as to level the villa to destroy evidence and traces."

A few seconds later, in the silent conference room, Zhou Wu’s voice emerged as he stared intently at Ma Chaoyang, "In such circumstances, you say the cellphone in your possession belonged to the deceased Wu Hu, and it even contains a recorded conversation between Wu Hu and his subordinate Ma San, which seems illogical—is everything really true?"

"Director Zhou, after verification by the police’s experts, the cellphone’s owner was indeed Wu Hu. As to why Wu Hu’s cellphone ended up in the bushes of Tiger Roar Manor with a recording of a conversation with Ma San, we currently have no way of knowing."

Ma Chaoyang faced Zhou Wu’s gaze emotionlessly and said sternly, "But personally, I believe this is the breakthrough for these two cases. As long as we can catch the suspect Ma San, all doubts will be resolved!"

"Director Zhou, as the person in charge of these two cases, to be unaware of the latest clues might be excusable, but what do you mean by questioning the clues presented by Director Ma at this time?"

As soon as Ma Chaoyang’s words fell, a bigwig from the Ye Family Camp and one of the powerhouses in the Southern Xian Province said, frowning.

"Secretary Li, I did not know about the clues because Director Ma did not report to me!" retorted Zhou Wu sullenly.

Ma Chaoyang responded calmly, "Director Zhou, I was indeed planning to report to you immediately. However, like you previously mentioned, fearing complications, I had it verified by professionals first. This cellphone is a special device with a complex system, and my people took a whole night just to unlock it."

"Even if it took all night, you should have told me when we met outside the conference room earlier, shouldn’t you?" Zhou Wu said, his tone unfriendly.

"Alright, Director Zhou."

The top official of Southwest coldly interrupted, "As the main person in charge of these two cases, instead of considering how to solve the cases with the new clues, you question the authenticity and source of the clues and fuss about Director Ma not reporting to you in time. I personally think there’s a problem with your attitude!"

"Secretary, I think since the murderer was willing to level a villa just to eliminate evidence, it proves he is a very cunning and sinister murderer. I fear that this cellphone was deliberately left by the murderer to confuse our line of sight and disrupt our investigation..." Zhou Wu tried to explain.

However—

Before he could finish his sentence, the top official coldly cut him off, "Comrade Ma Chaoyang has already made it clear that by capturing the suspect Ma San, all doubts will be resolved!"

"I agree with Secretary’s view."

"I also agree."

As the top official finished speaking, several people immediately voiced their agreement.

Seeing this, Zhou Wu’s expression grew darker as he closed his mouth, and his unease deepened.

"We have only been given three days by the higher authorities, and time is extremely short. Now that new clues have emerged, we must act immediately."

Seeing Zhou Wu silent, the top official pondered for a moment and said, "Personally, I believe we must do the following.

First, immediately arrest suspect Ma San province-wide, ensuring the operation remains confidential so that the suspect doesn’t flee abroad.

Second, closely monitor all individuals in Jianghu within the province, especially the martial artists from Qinghong Group and the Wudang Sect.

Third, immediately dispatch personnel to investigate the conflict between the Wudang Sect and Nanqinghong at the headquarters of Huaxia Branch for the Wudang Sect and Qinghong Group.

Fourth, keep the previous investigation team intact while also establishing a leadership group, which will be co-chaired by me and the governor, with Comrade Zhou Wu as the executive vice chairman and other comrades as members. Any new developments must be reported to the leadership group!"

"Since there are no objections, then let’s adjourn the meeting!"

As his words concluded, the top official looked around, and seeing no objections, announced the end of the meeting.

Whish—

The meeting ended, and all the attendees one after another got up and left the conference room.

A few minutes later, as the first to go downstairs, Zhou Wu saw Ma Chaoyang exiting and approached him: "Director Ma."

"Does Director Zhou have instructions?" Ma Chaoyang stopped, seeing this.

"If I’m not wrong, Director Ma, you already know who the murderer is, don’t you?"

Zhou Wu asked coldly, his gaze as sharp as a knife, almost unable to restrain himself from using telekinesis to disrupt Ma Chaoyang’s thinking and find his loophole.

Facing Zhou Wu’s imposing manner, Ma Chaoyang said seriously, "I have already mentioned it in the meeting, yet Director Zhou questioned me, have you forgotten?"

"Director Ma really knows how to play dumb, doesn’t he?"

Zhou Wu scoffed sarcastically, then seeing other bigwigs coming out from the building, he left with a sweep of his sleeve.

"It won’t be long before Zhou Wu scurries out of Southwest with his tail between his legs!"

Watching Zhou Wu’s retreating figure and recalling Ye Fan’s words, Ma Chaoyang awaited Zhou Wu’s downfall.

...

...(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to support by casting your recommendation votes and Monthly Tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)