The Rongcheng City Public Security Bureau's No. 1 car sped out of the gate.
The driver, Xiao Liu, was a little apprehensive because Director Kan Xufeng inside was furious. Although Director Kan, a former soldier, was known for his fiery temper and often foul language, Xiao Liu had never seen him so angry.
As soon as he got in the car, Director Kan impatiently ordered him to drive at full speed towards Hongguang Road. On the way, he made several phone calls, launching into a tirade against Director Hu of the Zhonglou Branch, hurling insults at him and his ancestors. Director Kan's final words were, "I'm giving you five minutes. Get to the alleyway entrance on Hongguang Road right now!"
After finishing the calls, Kan Xufeng leaned wearily against the back of his seat, breathing slightly heavily.
Two minutes earlier, Kan Xufeng received a call from Guan Weiping, deputy director of the Provincial Party Committee Office. Guan said that while picking up a guest of Secretary Fang on Hongguang Road, he had been subjected to violent enforcement by unidentified police officers, and was almost arrested as well.
Although Guan Weiping's tone was calm and polite, merely saying, "Please look into this situation, Director Kan, so I know how to answer if Secretary Fang asks," Kan Xufeng, a seasoned official, could easily sense Guan Weiping's dissatisfaction.
This was largely thanks to Guan Weiping being Kan Xufeng's classmate from Party School. They had shared a dormitory in a training program for department-level cadres and had a good relationship. Both working in Rongcheng, they also maintained frequent contact. Otherwise, Guan Weiping would have directly reported it to the Provincial Department, and Kan Xufeng would be in a very different situation now.
Even the Provincial Party Secretary's chief secretary was almost arrested by the police. How is Kan Xufeng leading his team? How is the Rongcheng public security system conducting its work style? A single, serious charge would be enough to give Kan Xufeng a run for his money.
Although Kan Xufeng and Guan Weiping were both deputy-department-level officials, the prestige of their positions was vastly different. It wasn't that Kan Xufeng, as the deputy mayor and police chief of the provincial capital, lacked influence, but he simply paled in comparison to Guan Weiping. Guan Weiping had held this position for several years, and recently there were rumors that Secretary Fang might demote him. Conventionally, a provincial party secretary's secretary would be demoted to at least a municipal deputy party secretary position, and there were even precedents of them being directly promoted to mayor. In comparison, Kan Xufeng's non-committal deputy mayor lacked that certain weight.
Therefore, Kan Xufeng, who usually tried to curry favor with Guan Weiping, naturally had to rush to the scene immediately to handle this situation, as it was a matter of attitude.
Meanwhile, the city and district police chiefs were rushing to the alley entrance, while the situation at the scene remained deadlocked. Yan Jinlong had slowly regained consciousness, but the blow had left him dizzy and disoriented. He was still dazed, like a dead dog being trampled under Chen Yang's foot!
Chen Yang briefly recounted the whole story to Guan Weiping, starting with how he inexplicably offended Yan Huiming at the calligraphy and painting competition, and continuing until the incident of him being harassed while buying a house. Guan Weiping frowned as he listened, partly out of disgust at the domineering behavior of Yan Huiming, Yue Lei, and others, and partly because he felt that Chen Yang was also a troublesome character. Once the perpetrator was identified, he actually showed up alone and even broke the man's finger…
Seeing the growing crowd, Guan Weiping frowned and said,
"Chen Yang, I'll wait for you in the car!"
Chen Yang nodded with a smile. The situation was under control, and Guan Weiping had already made the call. Now, they were just waiting for the officials to arrive and handle the aftermath. Guan Weiping didn't really need to stay there any longer; it was the internet age, and if someone took pictures and posted them online, it would be a significant negative news story for him.
Of course, it was unlikely that this could be kept from Fang Hongda. After all, a single phone call had summoned the head of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, and Guan Weiping would definitely have to report it afterwards.
Time passed slowly, and Chen Yang remained relaxed, a faint smile playing on his lips. But to Yue Lei and the others, that smile was like a devil's.
Suddenly, a loud engine roared, followed by a sharp screech of brakes. Chen Yang looked up and saw a Toyota SUV with police license plates stop in front of the shop. Several men in police uniforms quickly got out. The leader, a tall and stout man with the rank of Second-Class Police Inspector, wore a large police uniform that was still too tight on him, and his large breasts jiggled with every step.
Yan Jinlong, who was being trampled on the ground by Chen Yang, seemed to see a savior upon seeing the Second-Class Police Inspector. He seemed to regain his strength and struggled futilely for a few moments before shouting:
"Director Yan! Save me!"
Yue Lei, hiding in the crowd, also showed delight upon seeing the newcomer. This Second-Class Police Inspector was Yan Huiming's uncle, Yan Songshan, the deputy district head of Cangshui District and director of the Public Security Bureau. Earlier, when Yue Lei sensed something was wrong, he had secretly made a phone call to Yan Huiming from the crowd.
Upon hearing that Chen Yang had broken Yue Lei's finger, then assaulted a police officer and taken the police station chief hostage, Yan Huiming was overjoyed. This was tantamount to handing him leverage! If he just released Yue Lei from the station, wouldn't he be completely at his mercy?
However, Yue Lei hadn't clearly mentioned Guan Weiping's existence, only saying that Chen Yang had an accomplice, so Yan Huiming didn't take it seriously. He immediately called his uncle, Yan Songshan.
Upon hearing that Yan Jinlong had been taken hostage by a suspect, Yan Songshan panicked. Although Yan Jinlong was only a distant nephew, he was exceptionally capable and always showered with favors; otherwise, Yan Songshan wouldn't have promoted him to deputy station chief. He immediately dialed the number of Director Hu of the Zhonglou branch of the police station, where Yan Jinlong's jurisdiction was located, but the line was constantly busy.
Meanwhile, Yan Songshan was playing cards at a card room near Hongguang Road. Unable to get through on the phone, he simply led a few men and stormed over.
Upon arriving at the scene, Yan Songshan saw Yan Jinlong being trampled on the ground like a dead dog by a young man, his service pistol already in the young man's hand. Opposite them stood a group of trembling, timid auxiliary police officers and thugs, not daring to utter a sound.
Without a word, Yan Songshan drew his gun and pointed it at Chen Yang. His entourage also drew their own pistols. Yan Songshan shouted,
"Put your guns down immediately!"
When Chen Yang saw the police car arrive, he initially thought it was Guan Weiping who had called. However, upon arrival, Yan Songshan immediately drew his gun, and coupled with Yan Jinlong's overjoyed expression and his address of him as "Director Yan," Chen Yang immediately guessed the identity of the second-level police inspector—Yan Huiming's social connections were not secret; on the contrary, they were quite ostentatious. Chen Yang had already learned everything with only a few inquiries.
Chen Yang sneered, pulled Yan Jinlong to his feet, grabbed him by the neck with one hand, and pressed the gun against his temple with the other. He hid behind Yan Jinlong and then sneered:
"Since when did the police of Cangshui District get involved in Zhonglou District affairs? And the chief himself came, arriving even faster than the police of Zhonglou District! Your bureau's actions are truly lightning fast!"
After speaking, Chen Yang's expression turned serious. He brandished the gun at Yan Jinlong's temple and said coldly:
"Everyone, step back! Put your guns away!" "Put it down! I'm a coward. With so many guns pointed at me, if my hand slips and the gun goes off, your Chief Yan will be dead!"
Yan Songshan gritted his teeth, staring at Chen Yang, and shouted:
"Don't resist! Putting down your weapon is your only way out! You can't escape. A large number of special police are on their way. If you put down your gun now, it will be considered a surrender!"
Yan Songshan gave his subordinate a look, signaling him to call for backup. One policeman understood and retreated behind the crowd to make the call. Yan Songshan had made up his mind. Once Chen Yang put down his gun, he would immediately shoot him dead on the spot for resisting arrest with a firearm. Anyway, the police gun was covered in Chen Yang's fingerprints; once Chen Yang was dead, there would be no way to prove anything.
"Who are you? Where is Chief Kan?" Yan Songshan suddenly heard an angry voice behind him.
Guan Weiping entered the car. He had barely sat down when several policemen arrived. Just as he was about to get out, he saw them draw their guns and point them at Chen Yang, creating an immediate tension. Guan Weiping's anger flared instantly.
This was never going to end!
First, it was petty thugs causing trouble, then the police officers at the local station were accused of distorting the truth and colluding with criminals, and now even a police superintendent-level leader had arrived. Did they not take Guan Weiping seriously at all? Did they think anyone could trample on him? Since becoming the provincial party secretary, this was the first time Guan Weiping had felt so aggrieved, and he harbored considerable resentment towards Kan Xufeng.
Yan Songshan turned around and paused when he saw Guan Weiping. The distinguished-looking middle-aged man looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen him before. Yan Songshan, a cadre of a certain rank, was quite familiar with the situation of the leaders at the Rongcheng city level, but he hadn't had much contact with the provincial level. He had only seen Guan Weiping a few times during leadership inspections, so although the face seemed somewhat familiar, he couldn't recognize him.
Yan Songshan hesitated for a moment, his tone softening slightly, but his attitude remained firm:
"I am Yan Songshan, the director of the Cangshui District Public Security Bureau. Comrade, please do not obstruct us from performing our official duties!"
"Nonsense!" Guan Weiping retorted without mercy, "This is Zhonglou District. What official duties does your Cangshui Branch have to perform here?"
"Then may I ask who you are, comrade? What right do you have to interfere with our police work?" Hearing Guan Weiping's condescending tone, Yan Songshan immediately became displeased, his tone turning sarcastic, "I was passing by here with my colleagues on a case when we saw this suspect violently assaulting police officers..." "In cases of armed hostage situations involving police officers, how can you, as police officers, ignore such heinous crimes simply because your jurisdiction isn't here?"
"Have you even conducted an investigation? How can you draw such a hasty conclusion?" Guan Weiping said righteously, "I've already notified Director Kan of the Municipal Public Security Bureau; he'll be here immediately to handle this. If your rude intervention leads to an escalation of the situation, you will bear full responsibility!"
"Isn't it obvious? The person held the police officer hostage and seized his gun—there's eyewitness testimony and physical evidence! Even if Director Hu came, I'd say the same thing!" Yan Songshan thought Guan Weiping was bluffing, so he remained confident.
Before he finished speaking, a loud shout rang out:
"Yan Songshan! What the hell are you doing?!"