It was around ten o'clock in the morning.

The joint task force arrived in Guyang City.

They borrowed a venue from the City Procuratorate to begin their case work.

On the first day, quite a few people from nearby were called in by the task force to assist with the investigation, which put everyone affiliated with Meng Zheqing on edge.

After all, a Standing Committee member of the Municipal Committee had died; it was something the higher-ups were bound to take very seriously.

In the afternoon, Xue Bo was also summoned by the task force.

He wasn't released until four in the afternoon.

This meant that he had passed the first hurdle.

At this time.

In the office of Secretary Xu Jianfeng.

Political and Legal Committee Secretary Cui Weiguo and Director of the Municipal Committee Office Lv Zixi were visibly restless.

As staunch supporters of Meng Zheqing, it was only a matter of time before they were investigated by the task force. While scratching their heads in the office, they received a call from Xu Jianfeng's secretary, Yao Wu, asking them to visit Xu Jianfeng's office.

Upon arriving in a rush, they were informed that Xu Jianfeng had not yet returned from the task force and were asked to wait a moment.

That wait turned out to be a whole hour.

Cui Weiguo was becoming impatient.

He stood up and said to Lv Zixi, "I'm not waiting any longer. You can wait if you want; I'm going back."

He had barely finished speaking.

When the office door was pushed open.

Xu Jianfeng walked in and said, "Secretary Cui, if you're busy, go ahead and leave. I'll speak with Director Lv first."

Cui Weiguo's complexion turned pale.

He quickly said, "No, no, why would I go now that Secretary Xu has returned? Heh heh..."

Xu Jianfeng could see right through his little scheme.

With a slight smile, he said, "Since Secretary Cui isn't in a hurry anymore, why don't we all sit down and have a chat?"

Their conversation.

Lasted a full hour.

By the time the two emerged from Xu Jianfeng's office, the worried look on their faces had significantly lightened.

It goes without saying that these two rickety boats had found a new harbor to dock at.

That night.

At seven-thirty in the evening.

Inside the finest seafood restaurant in Guyang City, Yipinxian Restaurant.

Sister Hua was sitting in a private room, looking agitated as she waited.

The meeting time was set for six-thirty that evening, and she had already been waiting for an hour.

After checking her watch countless times, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Xu Jianfeng arrived belatedly.

"What's the matter with you? You're an entire hour late. Do you not care about punctuality anymore?"

Sister Hua said with displeasure.

Xu Jianfeng smiled faintly and said, "What's this? Is Sister Hua getting impatient? If you didn't want to wait, you could have chosen not to. It just so happens that I'm also busy."

Sister Hua was taken aback.

And asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing much. I was just worried that Sister Hua might be waiting too long, wasting your time for nothing. That would be impolite, wouldn't it?"

Xu Jianfeng said.

There seemed to be a taunting undertone in his words.

Sister Hua furrowed her brows and said, "Fine, don't let this happen again. Let's talk business. I've got someone here that I want to be placed in the top position at the Economic Development Zone."

After speaking.

She handed over a folded piece of paper to Xu Jianfeng.

After taking a quick glance, Xu Jianfeng pushed the paper back to Sister Hua and said, "Sorry, Sister Hua, but I've already made arrangements for the head position of the Economic Development Zone. There's no need for you to worry about it."

"You've arranged it? Who is it? Why didn't you get my approval?"

Sister Hua asked in surprise.

With a laugh, Xu Jianfeng said, "Sister Hua, it seems you don't understand the situation. I am the top leader of Guyang City, and it should be up to me to decide who gets the position in the Economic Development Zone. Why should it require your approval?"

Boom!

Sister Hua flinched.

In that instant, she realized something.

With a cold smile, she said, "What? Have your wings hardened, ready to fly solo? Don't forget, your position today is all due to my scheming. Otherwise, how much say would you, a mere Secretary of the municipal party committee, have?"

As Xu Jianfeng listened to these words,

his face remained expressionless.

After a pause, he replied, "Sister Hua, you helped me for the sole purpose of benefiting from the Economic Development Zone. Now that it's in my hands, if you're good, I might still share some benefits with you. But if you're not, I'm sorry, you'll have no part in any of the profits from the Economic Development Zone."

"Slap!"

Sister Hua slammed her hand on the table.

She angrily said, "Xu Jianfeng, I can raise you up, and I can just as easily bring you down."

"You can try,"

said Xu Jianfeng, his face devoid of emotion.

Sister Hua let out a scornful laugh.

Picking up her phone, she dialed a number. As the call connected, Sister Hua said, "Jiang Mingqing, come here a moment."

Less than a minute after hanging up,

Jiang Mingqing entered the private room.

Sister Hua looked coldly at Xu Jianfeng and said to Jiang Mingqing, "Send out the word—from now on, all of our people stop supporting Xu Jianfeng. I want to see, without my support, what Xu Jianfeng amounts to."

Jiang Mingqing didn't move.

Not an inch.

Sister Hua, taken aback, rebuked, "Did you not hear what I said?"

Still, Jiang Mingqing showed no response whatsoever.

Xu Jianfeng lit a cigarette and said, "Director Jiang, I hear you're quite fond of Sister Hua, right?"

"Hehe, indeed, very fond,"

Jiang Mingqing's eyes roved greedily over Sister Hua's form.

Sister Hua, furious, swung her hand towards Jiang Mingqing.

But a woman is still a woman, after all; the hand she swung was effortlessly caught mid-air by Jiang Mingqing.

With a shove, Sister Hua stumbled backward and sat down in a chair.

"Sister Hua, don't rush. Secretary Xu hasn't finished speaking. We'll play slowly in a while,"

His words instantly made Sister Hua's heart leap into her throat.

Xu Jianfeng exhaled a ring of smoke and said, "Sister Hua, do you really think, in the current situation, that there is anyone in Guyang City who dares not to listen to me? Now that I have control over Guyang City, why should I Xu Jianfeng be manipulated by you?"

The situation was now crystal clear.

Xu Jianfeng had lost control.

It was something Sister Hua had not anticipated at all.

Not only had he lost control, but everyone else had as well. The group she had painstakingly gathered had now all defected to Xu Jianfeng. Wasn't this just dressing someone else for her wedding?

Actually, this was not surprising.

Human nature is greedy.

Especially for people like Xu Jianfeng.

A man who has been poor all his life suddenly experiences what it's like to rise above others, what it's like to live in luxury—this is a very dangerous sign.

If he can swallow it all alone, why should he share the lion's share with others?

All of Sister Hua's strategies had revolved around Xu Jianfeng. Now with Meng Zheqing dead and Xue Bo about to be punished, Xu Jianfeng essentially had complete control over Guyang City. Why should he be at anyone's beck and call?

Every plan had been perfect.

Except she had overlooked the vile roots of human nature.

At this moment, regret was useless.

"Xu Jianfeng, Jiang Mingqing, you two ungrateful bastards, I couldn't figure out why Yan Zifang would kill Meng Zheqing, but now I see. It was you two who were behind it, wasn't it?"

Sister Hua accused.

Jiang Mingqing cracked a sleazy smile and said, "You're mistaken. It was you, Sister Hua, who sent Jin Shijian and Yan Zifang to Meng Zheqing. What does that have to do with us?"

With this statement, Jiang Mingqing indirectly admitted to it.

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