Chapter 561

Chapter 561 Luo Feiliang’s Choice!

The director of the Ministry of State Security’s Major Crimes Division 4?

　　The moment those words were spoken, the entire room fell silent!

　　Although the vast majority of people present didn’t know the true meaning of “State Security,” that didn’t stop them from filling in the blanks themselves.

　　China’s State Security — wasn’t that basically the same as America’s FBI or CIA?

　　Only then did Duan Qingfeng recall that something like this had indeed happened two or three months ago.

　　But since he had been overseas on an “inspection tour” at the time, he hadn’t paid it much mind, and it wasn’t until today that he realized the Ninghai Municipal Bureau had gained a deputy director who had been parachuted in directly from the Ministry of State Security!

　　Major Crimes Division 4? Wasn’t that some kind of intelligence chief within State Security?

　　Although the other party’s rank wasn’t as high as his own, they absolutely held a considerable number of secrets! It was even possible that some of his own disciplinary violations were known to this person!

　　However, Duan Qingfeng quickly dismissed the thought. Although he was a mayor who had grown up right here in Ninghai, he had always been careful to keep certain matters well hidden — State Security shouldn’t have their eyes on him.

　　Besides, if they had been watching him, an investigation would have been launched long ago. They certainly wouldn’t have waited until now.

　　With that thought, Duan Qingfeng finally put his mind at ease, and said with a cold expression: “If you have something to say, just say it. There’s no need to announce your identity. I have no interest in your State Security business.”

　　”The reason I was transferred to Ninghai is simply to protect one person. Right now, I don’t want him to run into any trouble.” Luo Feiliang said calmly.

　　Shangguan Mo and Qian Wanxing stood just behind him, the three of them forming a triangular formation, radiating a quietly formidable presence!

　　Sensing that presence, Duan Qingfeng’s expression shifted ever so slightly!

　　Yes, these people seemed to be getting serious.

　　The person he said he was here to protect — could it really be that young man who had beaten Wang Guangming to a pulp?

　　What kind of background did he have, to warrant this kind of treatment?

　　Parachuting an official into Ninghai overnight, crossing departments and disciplines — what kind of power would it take to pull something like that off?

　　Not only was Duan Qingfeng stunned, even Huang Borong’s face showed a flicker of emotion!

　　”So what if you’re protecting him? Are you just going to stand there and watch him assault someone in public? That’s a crime! And you’re the chief of police — you of all people should know better than to break the law!” As the mayor of a city, Duan Qingfeng was not about to back down!

　　Luo Feiliang didn’t yield a single step, fixing Duan Qingfeng with an icy stare, his voice cold and detached: “If he wants to hit someone, then he hits someone. If he wants to kill someone, then he kills someone.”

　　If he wants to kill someone, then he kills someone?

　　The moment those words landed, the already deathly quiet scene became so still you could hear a pin drop. It was as if people had even stopped breathing!

　　Was there any reason left to speak of? Was there any law left to discuss?

　　Duan Qingfeng’s face instantly flushed a deep liver-red. He jabbed a finger at Luo Feiliang’s face and snarled in a low, furious voice: “This is absolutely outrageous! Is that something a government official should be saying?”

　　Luo Feiliang was about to say something more, but Su Rui cut him off.

　　”Mayor Duan, there’s no need to get so worked up. The truth is, this matter is very simple — but certain people are deliberately trying to make it complicated.” Su Rui, who had been silent for several minutes, finally spoke again. He pointed at Wang Guangming and said: “This guy threw in with a Japanese crime syndicate and let them use my sister as a hostage to lure me into a trap. Betraying a colleague, betraying a fellow countryman — does that not rise to the level of treason?”

　　”And you, Mayor Duan, have shielded him time and time again. Frankly, it makes me wonder whether you and this traitor are in cahoots, and whether you’ve been taking benefits from the Japanese syndicate yourself.”

　　Su Rui’s voice suddenly rose, and the chill embedded in his words erupted all at once, causing Duan Qingfeng’s expression to freeze involuntarily!

　　Stepping forward, Su Rui locked eyes with Duan Qingfeng and said: “Mayor Duan, if you dare to obstruct me again, I can guarantee that one month from now, you will no longer be sitting in that seat.”

　　He wouldn’t be Ninghai’s mayor a month from now? What a joke!

　　Duan Qingfeng was just about to sneer when he saw Su Rui grab Wang Guangming — who had been reduced to a limp, dead-dog state — and, as casually as tossing out garbage, fling him directly at Shangguan Mo!

　　Even in his furious state, Duan Qingfeng was stunned by what he saw. That was a full-grown man, at least 150 or 160 pounds — just tossed one-handed like that? And thrown several meters through the air!

　　Was this some kind of international kung fu blockbuster?

　　But to everyone’s surprise, Shangguan Mo didn’t even try to catch him. She simply sidestepped, and Wang Guangming crashed straight down onto the hard stone steps!

　　Looking at the bewildered crowd, Shangguan Mo glanced down at Wang Guangming with an expression of pure contempt: “Dropping him a few more times still wouldn’t be satisfying enough. Better if he just got smashed to death.”

　　”Mayor Duan, remember what I said.”

　　Su Rui clenched his fist with one hand and gave Duan Qingfeng two measured thumps on the chest — not too hard, not too soft — then turned and walked away under the stunned gazes of over a thousand people!

　　”Director Chen, let’s go as well.”

　　Luo Feiliang glanced at Chen Zhishan and gave a nod.

　　Old Director Chen was quietly sighing inside. He knew that after today, he would be stepping onto a path that put him in direct opposition to Mayor Duan Qingfeng.

　　With only two years left before retirement, was it worth taking such a huge risk?

　　Duan Qingfeng stood rooted to the spot, watching them leave, his face ashen!

　　Municipal Party Secretary Huang Borong, on the other hand, showed no expression at all, and was the first to leave through a different door.

　　As a party secretary who kept a low profile to his very core, Huang Borong had made his position known at just the right moment today — and that was enough to lay the groundwork for what was to come.

　　Su Rui had not made the irrational move of killing anyone on the spot, even though he had already stabbed Wang Guangming to death a thousand times over in his mind.

　　In truth, killing Wang Guangming now would accomplish nothing. He trusted that Shangguan Mo and the others would handle the matter very well.

　　…………

　　As night fell, a figure walked out of the Ninghai Municipal Bureau compound and moved slowly along the deserted, silent street, looking troubled and weighed down by something heavy on their mind.

　　From the silhouette, it was unmistakably Luo Feiliang.

　　Just as Su Rui had said, his only option now was to cooperate with Su Rui. Trying to work with the tiger was utterly hopeless — in the end, it would not only destroy Su Rui, but drag his wife and daughter down with him.

　　As a man who couldn’t even protect his own wife and daughter, the feeling was nothing short of crushing. He walked for a long stretch, then sat down on a step, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long, deep drag.

　　It was at that moment that two men suddenly appeared in front of Luo Feiliang.

　　”Luo Feiliang?” one of the men asked.

　　”Hm?”

　　Luo Feiliang looked up, and a flash of wariness crossed his eyes — though since he was sitting in a rather dark spot, his expression wasn’t easy to make out.

　　”We’ve been following you for a while now. Out here alone in the middle of the night, taking a stroll — feeling pretty down, aren’t you?”

　　A thin, wiry man chuckled. They had been trailing Luo Feiliang from the very beginning and only revealed themselves now, just to make sure no one else was following him.

　　Of course, looking at it now, they had been overly cautious.

　　”How could he not be down? His wife and kid got kidnapped. If I were him, I’d just go smash my head against a wall and be done with it!” The other man was bald, and his tone was equally mocking!

　　Luo Feiliang’s eyes blazed as if they could shoot fire. He shot to his feet and swung his fist!

　　”Go ahead, hit me, hit me as hard as you want, right here!”

　　The bald man not only didn’t dodge — he tilted his neck sideways and pointed at his own head: “If you’ve got the guts, bring that fist down. Go ahead and try!”

　　Looking at him, Luo Feiliang wanted nothing more than to smash that infuriating face to pieces. But his fist hung suspended in the air, trembling, hesitating — he simply couldn’t bring it down!

　　”Heh, lost your nerve, huh?” The bald man let out a cold snicker: “If that fist of yours comes down, I guarantee your wife and daughter will be raped on the spot!”

　　”You bastard!”

　　Luo Feiliang let out a dark, low snarl and raised his fist again to strike!

　　As a man, what could possibly make him feel more humiliated than this?

　　But again, his fist couldn’t come down!

　　He didn’t dare. He genuinely feared that if he threw that punch, his wife and daughter would truly end up facing an unimaginable fate.

　　Yet just as Luo Feiliang pulled his fist back, the bald man grabbed him by the collar, yanked him forward, and drove a vicious punch straight into his gut!

　　That single punch left Luo Feiliang doubled over, clutching his stomach, face flushed crimson, retching up stomach acid in great heaving gasps!

　　”Still thinking about hitting me? Are you out of your damn mind?”

　　The bald man stepped in and delivered a kick that sent Luo Feiliang flying several meters, crashing hard onto the ground!

　　”Eight, don’t beat him to death.” the thin man said.

　　”Seven, relax. I’m holding back. He won’t die.” The bald man let out a vicious grin, then waved toward the distance.

　　A Buick MPV with its license plates covered rolled up from afar and stopped right in front of them!

　　The bald man pulled a black cloth from his waist, threw it over Luo Feiliang’s head, then dragged him up off the ground and tossed him into the back of the Buick!

　　”You had the nerve to contact Su Rui behind our backs and treat our boss’s words like they meant nothing — are you tired of living?” The bald man pinned Luo Feiliang under his foot and ground down hard!

　　Despite the pain wracking his body, Luo Feiliang clenched his teeth and said nothing!

　　”Pretty tough, huh.” The bald man said with contempt: “Let’s see how tough you are once you’ve seen your wife and kid. Damn!”

　　With that, the bald man drove another fierce kick into Luo Feiliang’s body!

　　At the same time, the Buick started up and tore off into the distance at full speed!

　　The journey was no short trip — the Buick didn’t stop until it had been racing for over three full hours.

　　Since Luo Feiliang had been kept under the black cloth the entire time, the bald man and his partner weren’t worried that he could memorize the direction or destination. On top of that, to avoid being tracked, they had deliberately wound through the streets of Ninghai in circles — enough to disorient any normal person, let alone someone with their eyes covered.

　　What the two men didn’t know, however, was that “Luo Feiliang’s” ears had twitched ever so slightly, and he had quietly said something to himself.

　　”Approximately 250 kilometers from Ninghai, direction southeast.”

　　After silently noting that, he was shoved and pushed into an abandoned factory building!

　　”Luo Feiliang, you’ve been very disobedient. That’s why I’ve had you brought here.”

　　At that moment, a voice rang out from somewhere in front of Luo Feiliang — utterly cold and sinister!