Best Young Master
Chapter 417 - 370 Southwest Storm VI

Chapter 417: Chapter 370 Southwest Storm VI

9:00 p.m.

Just one hour after the capture operation for Ma San had ended, all the personnel from the morning meeting convened again to hold a special meeting regarding the Tiger Roar Manor explosion and the Wudang Martial Arts Hall shooting.

In the quiet conference room, the gaze of all chiefs, including the top leader, was focused on Ma Chaoyang as he provided a brief report on the just-concluded capture operation.

"Director Ma, since Ma San is the main suspect in these two cases, you should have tried everything to take him alive, right?" As soon as Ma Chaoyang’s report ended, Zhou Wu, who was in charge of the Yanhuang Organization’s Southwest Region, asked coldly.

Facing Zhou Wu’s questioning, Ma Chaoyang replied neither haughtily nor humbly, "Director Zhou, as I mentioned in my report, after the operation began, the criminal gang led by Ma San attempted to forcefully break through. Even using the Gatling guns on the armed helicopters to shatter the warehouse doors as a deterrent was not enough to stop them. To prevent greater turmoil and negative impact, they had to be shot dead."

"Then why didn’t you wait for our Yanhuang Organization members to arrive before starting the operation? With the strength of the Yanhuang Organization’s members, they could have definitely been captured without killing them!"

Zhou Wu was intensely pressing; on one hand, he felt that Ma Chaoyang completely disregarded him as the leader of the operation team, and more importantly, he had a vague sense that this was a setup—a trap targeting Nanqinghong and the Wudang Sect.

As for... the person who set up this trap, he could guess it was Ye Fan even with his toes!

"I’m sorry, Director Zhou, originally I did plan to wait for your men to arrive before starting the operation, but according to reliable information, the criminal gang led by Ma San learned about our operation, so to prevent them from escaping, I had to act as quickly as possible to implement the capture," Ma Chaoyang replied solemnly.

"Reliable information? Where did this reliable information come from? Did you report it to me?"

Hearing Ma Chaoyang’s justified response, Zhou Wu felt a burning rage inside him and immediately glared as he fired his question.

"Director Zhou, the Public Security Department doesn’t fall under your jurisdiction, does it?"

This time, before Ma Chaoyang could reply, Secretary Li, a member of the Ye Family Camp in charge of the judiciary, put down his teacup and spoke indifferently.

"Hiss~"

Zhou Wu’s mouth twitched with anger, but he was powerless to retort—after all, as the person in charge of the Yanhuang Organization’s Southwest Region, he only managed the Yanhuang Organization.

"Secretary, Governor, Comrade Ma Chaoyang reported the capture operation to me, and I approved its implementation. As for Director Zhou, I communicated with him and agreed that the Yanhuang Organization and the police forces would collaborate on the operation. But as Comrade Ma Chaoyang said, our arrest plans leaked, and to prevent the criminals led by Ma San from fleeing, we had to proceed with the capture before the Yanhuang Organization members arrived," Secretary Li explained clearly and calmly.

"Secretary Li, how did the information leak?" Zhou Wu asked with a dark expression.

"There’s a traitor in our ranks. Regarding this, I’ve instructed Comrade Ma Chaoyang to personally supervise and handle it; I will report back on the results during the meeting," Secretary Li stated solemnly.

"——"

Zhou Wu pursed his lips, wanting to say something but feeling as if something was stuck in his throat, not managing to utter a single word, his expression extremely grim.

"Alright,"

seeing the situation, the top leader interjected to break up the dispute. "Now that it has come to this, dwelling on the deaths of Ma San and others is meaningless. What we need to discuss now is, what’s next?"

"Secretary, the criminal gang led by Ma San, when surrounded by the police, took the risk of being shot to death in their attempt to breakthrough, which is sufficient proof of their guilt. And when our assault team members entered, the choice of the surviving criminals to commit suicide out of fear further proves this point!"

As the top leader finished speaking, Ma Chaoyang, noticing that no one else spoke up, thought for a moment and said, "Therefore, I personally believe that the Tiger Roar Manor explosion and the Wudang Martial Arts Hall shooting can be closed as a conflict and mutual retaliation between the Wudang Sect and the Qinghong Group’s Huaxia Branch."

"I agree with Chaoyang’s suggestion,"

Secretary Li was the first to express support, on one hand backing his subordinate, and on the other possibly doing a favor for Ye Fan.

"What does everyone think?" the top leader asked after hearing this, frowning slightly.

"I agree."

"I also agree."

...

In just a few seconds, nearly more than half of the people raised their hands in agreement, clearly identified by the prominent Ye Family banner above their heads.

"Since the majority agrees, then we will settle on Comrade Ma Chaoyang’s proposal, and he will draft a report of the situation,"

seeing this, and thinking about the urgent red-headed document issued earlier, the top leader had a hunch and readily agreed to Ma Chaoyang’s suggestion.

"Secretary, according to the superior’s document requirements, we not only need to thoroughly investigate these two cases but also impose severe punishment on the criminals! Now, although the main persons involved are deceased. I personally think we should conduct a thorough investigation of Qinghong Group’s Huaxia Branch in the Southwest and collect evidence of their involvement in organized crime for severe sanctions!"

Secretary Li made another suggestion: "As for the Wudang Sect, being a Martial Arts Sect, it falls under the management of the Yanhuang Organization. I personally suggest leaving it to the Yanhuang Organization to handle."

"I agree with Secretary Li’s proposal, what do you all think?" the Secretary straightforwardly stated his position.

Seeing this, the others expressed their agreement, while Zhou Wu sat there unwilling or rather unable to change the decision of the meeting regardless of his stance.

"Alright, since there are no objections. We will proceed as decided in the meeting, with Secretary Li taking the lead in organizing relevant departments to thoroughly investigate Qinghong Group’s Huaxia Company’s Southwest Branch, and Director Zhou will report the meeting’s decision to the Yanhuang Organization’s headquarters, which will handle the Wudang Sect’s violations," With no one dissenting, the top leader made the final decision, "Meeting adjourned!"

Whoosh—

The meeting ended, and the participants rose one after another. Meanwhile, Zhou Wu frowned as he watched Secretary Li and Ma Chaoyang, only to find that they treated him as though he were thin air, not even sparing him a glance before leaving the meeting room.

"Hmph!"

Zhou Wu left in anger, snatching up his notebook and striding out.

...

Half an hour later, Zhou Wu returned to the provincial committee compound in his official car.

Entering the villa with a gloomy expression, Zhou Wu immediately picked up his private phone and dialed Bai Guotao’s number.

"Hello, Director Zhou." The call connected and Bai Guotao’s voice came through the receiver, much warmer than during their last conversation.

"Sorry, Secretary Bai, I’m helpless with that matter," said Zhou Wu bluntly, forgoing any bureaucratic tone.

"Oh?"

Bai Guotao was slightly startled by Zhou Wu’s words, and after pondering for a moment, he didn’t feign ignorance but asked directly, "Does that mean Ye Wenhao’s illegitimate child didn’t leave behind any evidence?"

"Mm."

Zhou Wu said with some frustration, "That little bastard is just too cunning; he didn’t leave behind any evidence, and he’s using others to do his dirty work."

"What do you mean?"

"After killing Wu Hu and the others, he blew up the villa to destroy the evidence. Meanwhile, God knows how he manipulated Wu Hu’s gunmen to attack the Wudang Martial Arts Hall, creating the false appearance of a conflict between the Wudang Sect and Nanqinghong, pinning the blame on them, all to clear his own name," Zhou Wu reported bitterly, secretly shocked by Ye Fan’s tactics. "Additionally, it’s very likely that he leveraged the Ye Family’s influence to issue an official document demanding that we investigate both cases thoroughly within three days and severely punish the criminals! This means he’s not only cleared himself of any wrongdoing, but he’s also using the power of the Yanhuang Organization and the police to strike at Nanqinghong and the Wudang Sect. He’s too manipulative!"

Zhou Wu’s face was the picture of frustration as he finished speaking.

Since his own junior was serving the Bai Family, he had quite a connection with them, and being considered part of the Bai Family Faction was no overstatement.

In addition to this, he had his own complaints against Ye Wenhao.

In such a situation, when Bai Guotao, the man expected to carry the banner for the Bai Family Faction in the future, personally called him for help, he naturally wanted to do everything in his power to find evidence to pin down Ye Fan by the rules.

However—

Now, not only had he failed to grasp Ye Fan’s misdeeds, but he was also about to become Ye Fan’s ’laborer,’ helping him go against the Wudang Sect...

This stark contrast was like a resounding slap across his face!

It wasn’t just Zhou Wu who was frustrated; Bai Guotao on the other end of the phone was also silent.

Although he knew from Ye Fan’s previous actions that Ye Fan was not the kind of person who relied on Ye Wenhao and the Ye Family’s protection to do wrong, but was actually quite capable, he had to admit that this time, he had still underestimated Ye Fan.

"Director Zhou, I want to thank you for your help, no matter what," said Bai Guotao after the silence, taking a deep breath to steady his emotions. "Let me know when you’ll be back in Yanjing. Give me a call before you return; we should sit down and have a good talk there."

"Okay."

Zhou Wu immediately agreed, then felt uncomfortable with the idea of being rewarded for no achievement and added, "Please rest assured, Secretary Bai, although that little bastard is cautious and scheming, there’s always a slip. If I find any evidence of him breaking the law in the future, I will nail him for sure!"

"You’ve been very considerate, Director Zhou."

While Bai Guotao said this outwardly, internally he felt that Zhou Wu was soon going to have trouble saving himself.

Because... from what Zhou Wu had said, he could now be fairly certain that Ye Fan had noticed something amiss with Zhou Wu.

Knowing Ye Fan’s eye-for-an-eye approach, if he found out Zhou Wu’s intent, he certainly wouldn’t let Zhou Wu off easy!

"Four birds with one stone, heh, Ye Wenhao, you’ve really raised a fine son," Bai Guotao said wearily, leaning back in his chair and sneering after ending the call.

Behind that sneer was a profound sense of unwillingness!

...

...

PS: Just one update for today.

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