Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Two white vans, one leading, one trailing, with Jiang Long's jeep sandwiched in between. In this day and age, this wasn't just a big show—it was like the emperor himself was riding through town!

The villagers of Daba Village stood under their eaves, peeking down the road. When they saw the big-ass vans, they marveled and exclaimed in astonishment. The Flower Kingdom didn't have much in the way of machinery; most folks were still saving up for a bicycle. So three big-ass vehicles rolling into Daba Village made everyone take a second look.

A few rascally kids even chased after the cars, squealing and laughing. Outside, the air was crisp and full of New Year cheer. Inside, though, it was dead serious.

Feng Xia's jeep was fine. Since the vans were used to escort the criminals Biaozi and his gang, Feng Xia offered the Mao-suit guy a seat in her jeep. They sat in the back, chatting and getting along pretty well. But you could already see the storm brewing on those three leaders' faces—they meant business. Clearly, this anti-gang sweep had landed a big fish.

In the other two vans, each packed about a dozen cops, all carrying live rounds. The sight made Biaozi and his men's legs turn to jelly. They were just small-time punks who only acted tough because they had backing; they had never seen anything like this. Regret flooded them, and they cursed themselves for picking the wrong person to mess with—Feng Xia. Thinking of the instigator Yang Tianhua, they harbored a fierce hatred, vowing that if they were to take a bullet, they'd drag Yang Tianhua straight to hell with them. That goddamn idiot.

The cars sped along and pulled up at the county government building first.

The Mao-suit guys straightened their jackets and headed straight for the county magistrate's office.

Liu Hongjin was forty-five years old and had served as the magistrate of Wufu County for five years. As the saying goes, "The mountains are high and the emperor is far away." With the chaos outside, Wufu County had practically become his own little kingdom. The only exception was the armed forces department, whose strong military backing he cut some slack because they had the guns. As for the rest, they were beneath his notice.

His plump body slowly slid open a drawer under his desk. Inside were tightly packed bags of fine tea leaves. Liu Hongjin squinted, picked out a bag of top-grade Biluochun tea, and pinched some into a teacup. He brewed it slowly. Amidst the rising steam, he remembered that young, fresh-faced girl his brother-in-law had set him up with the day before. Twenty years old, with fair, vibrant skin and large, shy eyes. His heart stirred.

Maybe he'd go there again tonight.

Lost in his pleasant fantasy, Magistrate Liu was suddenly disturbed by a commotion outside. His face darkened as he prepared to scold the clueless clerk who had ruined his daydream. But before he could speak, the door was kicked open without warning. Three men in Mao suits stood upright in the doorway, behind them a row of olive-green uniforms, and beside them a young girl of about fifteen or sixteen. A strange combination.

Liu Hongjin's hand trembled, and a bit of the freshly brewed Biluochun splashed out. He recognized the leader from a city meeting. A forced smile spread across his greasy face: "A few leaders here for an inspection? Why didn't the staff tell me you were coming? I would have gone out to welcome you and prepare a reception!"

The man in the Mao suit stared coldly at the fat, oily magistrate. His voice was icy: "Liu Hongjin, corruption, bribery, indulging relatives in lawlessness, exploiting the masses—multiple crimes combined. Arrest him." With a wave of his hand, several olive-green uniforms immediately took control.

Liu Hongjin shouted his innocence: "Leader, you must have made a mistake! I've worked my ass off for the people. Leader, you can't do this! Leader! Leader! I am wronged!" The man in the Mao suit couldn't be bothered to argue. He threw a report in front of Liu Hongjin. Every charge in there had solid proof behind it. Liu Hongjin's legs gave way, and he slumped to the floor, realizing that this time, he wouldn't get off lightly.

After arresting Liu Hongjin, the Mao-suit men naturally turned their attention to Yang Tianhua. But they came up empty. A trembling clerk stammered, "Well, Comrade Yang hasn't arrived yet. His family... has some matters. He usually comes in late."

The leader's face darkened further. So this was not only corruption but also drawing a salary without working—bleeding the state dry. How impressive!

They asked for Yang Tianhua's home address. The leader led Feng Xia to his house, and the soldiers drove fast, afraid that he might catch wind and flee.

They were overthinking it. Yang Tianhua lived in a two-story villa. The decoration, if not luxurious, was certainly refined. Seeing this villa, the Mao-suit man's face turned even darker.

The soldiers broke in directly. The first floor was empty. They headed to the second floor, and sure enough, in the room facing the sun, Yang Tianhua was wrapped in a quilt, sleeping soundly. The soldiers shook him for a while before he slowly woke. His gaze swept the room, landing first on Feng Xia. Still groggy, his mouth started cursing before his brain caught up:

"You little slut, whore! So Biaozi didn't kill you! How dare you cross me, Yang Tianhua? Don't you know your place? Huh, bringing people to break into my house? I suggest you get the hell out. You think calling the police will help? Let me tell you, my brother-in-law is Liu Hongjin. In Wufu County, it's surnamed Liu and surnamed Yang!"

His mind still foggy from last night's drinking, Yang Tianhua went on a tirade. Even Feng Xia silently applauded him. As the saying goes, "You'd rather have a godlike opponent than a piglike teammate." Yang Tianhua had thoroughly buried his brother-in-law.

The Mao-suit man's face was as black as thunder. He gestured for the men to take him away. The soldiers dragged him out like a dead dog. Yang Tianhua kept cursing, cursing Feng Xia with great vigor. Feng Xia didn't react. She followed them into the car. The van roared off, speeding straight to their destination: the armed forces department.

The county's armed forces department chief had also been detained. The officers below were on high alert, standing guard every few steps, with electric batons tucked at their waists and rifles slung behind their backs. Despite the freezing winter, fine beads of sweat appeared on their faces. Everyone knew that Wufu County was about to change.

Yang Tianhua was taken to a secret room. Bright lights shone on him. By now, his mind had cleared, and he panicked: "You can't do this! I am the county magistrate's brother-in-law! Torturing me like this is illegal! I want to see my brother-in-law! Let me out!"

Feng Xia followed him into the interrogation room. She smiled and said, "Oh? Didn't you tell Biaozi and his gang to capture me? So I can't even call the police to protect myself? And you wanted Biaozi to sell me, right? Where were you planning to sell me? You seem pretty familiar with the process. Have you sold many people before?"

Yang Tianhua was now dripping with cold sweat. He realized the severity of the situation. Being taken away on his brother-in-law's turf meant these people were no joke. He didn't dare respond to Feng Xia's taunts. Instead, he kept demanding to see his brother-in-law. The interrogating officer tapped the table impatiently and ordered Yang Tianhua to quiet down.

The details of the kidnapping and attempted assault on Feng Xia no longer needed to be extracted from him. Biaozi had already confessed everything clearly.

The interrogation of Yang Tianhua was primarily for Feng Xia's sake.

They wanted to determine whether this crime involved foreign interference. Feng Xia's identity was unusual, and higher-ups believed this was no simple act of revenge.

No matter how tight-lipped Yang Tianhua was, they would pry it open.