Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Dong Haoran thought for a long time after hearing Qin Lan’s words.
At last, he devised the perfect plan–one that would let him escape this complicated situation entirely.
“Oh, no! My wife told me to pick up our child after school. I completely forgot…”
Dong Haoran slapped his forehead and gave everyone an honest smile. “Sorry, everyone. You carry on. I have to pick up my child.”
With that, he turned to flee.
“Huh? Senior Dong, aren’t you single–mmph!”
One 2-Star Anomaly Hunter failed to catch on and started to remind him, only for his companion to clamp a hand over his mouth.
“Damn it, don’t drag me down if you want to die!” The Anomaly Hunter covering his mouth looked terrified. “Can’t you tell that even Senior Dong wants nothing to do with this?”
“We need to get out of here too…”
After a brief discussion, the group concluded that if they did not run now, they might never get another chance. They slipped into the crowd and vanished.
With the abilities of 2-Star Anomaly Hunters, escaping from ordinary people was easy.
Picking up his child from school?
Yuan Risheng’s expression was as ugly as if he had swallowed a bucket of filth.
A man as politically astute as him could not possibly misunderstand the team’s reaction. Lu Xingshan had undoubtedly given instructions from behind the scenes.
“Lu, you bastard…” Yuan Risheng raged inwardly. His face remained calm as his mind raced for a solution.
The reporters nearby also sensed that something was amiss and began whispering among themselves.
“What’s going on? The Anomaly Hunter Bureau’s people are leaving?”
“They seem to have refused to cooperate with Zone Governor Yuan… Why?”
“Is there more to this story?”
Hearing the discussion outside, Yuan Risheng drew a deep breath and immediately regained his composure.
He raised his phone and pretended to speak with someone for a while.
When he lowered it, Yuan Risheng’s expression reversed completely. With breathtaking acting skill, he demonstrated the depth of experience that came from a lifetime in politics.
“Your name is Little Qin, correct? Very good. Very good indeed…”
In front of countless cameras, Yuan Risheng crossed the security cordon and walked toward Qin Lan.
He wore an enthusiastic smile, looking nothing like the man who had denounced Qin Lan moments earlier.
Qin Lan raised an eyebrow and waited for the next part of the performance.
“The Anomaly Hunter Bureau has just explained that you have suffered some kind of injustice, correct?”
“That’s all right. This Safe Zone is governed by law and fairness. If you are dissatisfied with our work, you may tell me directly.”
Yuan Risheng reached Qin Lan and offered a friendly hand.
Qin Lan smiled ambiguously and shook it. “You have time to listen now, Zone Governor?”
Yuan Risheng had held his position for many years. Not a trace of embarrassment appeared on his face. Instead, he spoke with complete seriousness.
“Comrade Qin, I must apologize to you first!”
“The conflict just now was entirely caused by errors in our command decisions…”
Yuan Risheng sighed and turned his body so the media could capture as much of their friendly conversation as possible.
“I bear primary responsibility for our mistakes during the emergency response. I also promise that we will improve the training of the Stability Enforcement Unit and do everything possible to prevent such an incident from happening again!”
The stream of official jargon made Qin Lan’s smile increasingly mocking.
This man truly had no shame.
From the beginning, Qin Lan had known that he could not do much to Yuan Risheng.
Someone at Yuan Risheng’s level would have prepared escape routes and scapegoats long ago. No matter how deeply anyone investigated, every clue would abruptly end just before reaching him.
As for killing him outright?
Unless Qin Lan wanted to face the fury of an entire government department, that option could be discarded immediately.
The Zone Governor was the highest authority in a Safe Zone and had to be appointed by the senior leadership of the United Government.
Even if he committed a serious crime, he could only be punished after a formal trial and conviction.
That was why Yuan Risheng had never been Qin Lan’s true target.
Qin Lan had summoned him only to deliver a message.
It was a message that Qin Lan was about to raise the butcher’s blade.
Yuan Risheng understood that perfectly. Once he discovered that Lu Xingshan stood behind Qin Lan, he knew he had only two choices left.
1. Fight Qin Lan to mutual destruction without help from the Anomaly Hunter Bureau.
2. Sacrifice a group of unlucky people to appease Qin Lan’s rage.
Yuan Risheng cherished his own life. He knew that without the Bureau’s assistance, an enraged Qin Lan would most likely force his way through the defenses and trade his own life for Yuan Risheng’s.
What reckless act was beyond a hot-blooded young man barely out of his teens?
Yuan Risheng could only suppress his fury and choose reconciliation.
That was the reason for his abrupt change of attitude.
“It’s all right, Zone Governor. Mistakes at work are unavoidable. Besides, I wasn’t injured. I won’t hold a minor matter like this against you.”
Qin Lan looked perfectly sincere, though his words sounded especially grating to Yuan Risheng.
“However, Zone Governor Yuan, there are several extremely important matters I must report to you…”
Qin Lan deliberately raised his voice so every reporter and camera nearby could record him clearly.
Yuan Risheng’s face twitched, but he maintained his composure. “Speak freely, Comrade Qin!”
“As long as it is within my power to resolve, I will give you a satisfactory answer!”
He emphasized the words “within my power,” reminding Qin Lan that he should know when to stop and that a complete rupture would benefit neither of them.
Both men understood the situation perfectly. Each knew the other wanted him dead, and each knew the other would not actually kill him for now.
Qin Lan grinned and put on an indignant expression.
“After an extended investigation, I discovered a horrifying organ-trafficking operation inside Qianshan Hospital!”
“Large numbers of doctors participated, including the hospital director himself. Even your secretary was tempted by these people and became involved in this repulsive trade!”
Qin Lan then looked deeply saddened. “I understand that his behavior seriously threatens the peace and stability of the Safe Zone. It also damages the prestige of the United Government and of you personally…”
“That is why I had no choice but to temporarily subdue him by force…”
By this point, Yuan Risheng could barely maintain his expression.
He desperately wanted to curse.
By saying these things in public, Qin Lan had effectively sentenced Director Wang and Secretary Lin to death.
No matter how unwilling Yuan Risheng might be, he could only abandon them.
“What? Something like this happened?!” Yuan Risheng looked stunned before speaking furiously. “Such dark evil was allowed to grow under my administration… It must be punished with the utmost severity!”
Qin Lan was not finished.
He squeezed out several tears and began to wail, his voice as loud as a bellowing buffalo.
“That’s not all, Zone Governor!”
“I also found a ledger recording the crimes of numerous Qian Group members, including illegal transactions involving officials within the United Government…”
“They even tried to kill me. If I hadn’t possessed a little strength, I might not have made it out alive!”
“You must deliver justice for me, Zone Governor!”
Tried to kill him?
Did Qin Lan truly believe he possessed only “a little strength” compared to a group of ordinary people?
Yuan Risheng swallowed the profanity on the tip of his tongue. He forcefully patted Qin Lan’s shoulder and squeezed out a hideous smile.
“You’ve worked hard, Comrade Qin…”
“But this matter is too serious. We will need to conduct an in-depth investigation before–”
Qin Lan wiped away tears that did not exist and smiled again.
“Don’t worry, Zone Governor.”
“I knew the investigation would require a great deal of work, so I already asked a friend to submit the relevant evidence to our friends in the media. They can mobilize the public to help supervise the process.”
“Not a single lawbreaker will escape.”
The brighter Qin Lan smiled, the paler Yuan Risheng became.