Chapter 111: This Is No Way to Conduct an Investigation!

In front of Room 101.

“I am Lv Yanqing, head of the First Special Investigation Team of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission!”

“I am Yang Dong, head of the Tenth Special Investigation Team of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission!”

Yang Dong and Lv Yanqing shook hands in front of Room 101, getting acquainted. Although they had attended meetings together before, they had never spoken directly. Each special investigation team operated independently without interference, so there had been no prior interaction.

“Comrade Yanqing, I’m putting my reputation on the line here. I secured strong reinforcements from Secretary Wei for your First Special Team. Don’t let me down,” Liu Shan said sternly from the side, looking at Lv Yanqing with a hint of dissatisfaction.

Lv Yanqing was not very old, in his thirties, with a neat short haircut and wearing simple gray casual clothes, his appearance sharp and alert.

Upon hearing Liu Shan’s words, he straightened up immediately and hurriedly assured him, “Rest assured, Director, our First Special Team will cooperate closely with Comrade Yang Dong’s Tenth Team. We aim to resolve the A5 case as soon as possible.”

“What director? Call me team leader!” Liu Shan’s expression remained stern as he corrected Lv Yanqing’s address.

Lv Yanqing quickly apologized, “I’m used to it. It’s hard to change. Okay, Team Leader.”

“All right, you two talk. Solve the case quickly. I’ll be going now.” Liu Shan waved his hand, glanced once at the two team leaders, then turned and left.

Yang Dong stood aside, having observed that exchange clearly and accurately.

Unconsciously, Lv Yanqing had deliberately revealed the nature of his relationship with Liu Shan.

Calling Liu Shan “Director” instead of “Team Leader” or “Leader” indicated that Lv Yanqing was from the Case Review Office and was under Liu Shan’s command.

Liu Shan was the director of the Case Review Office.

Moreover, Liu Shan’s initial remark about risking his reputation to get strong reinforcements from Secretary Wei suggested a close relationship with Lv Yanqing, who was likely his trusted subordinate.

If Lv Yanqing were not a trusted aide, Liu Shan would not have gone to such lengths for him.

These few words revealed a wealth of information that could easily be overlooked.

“Lv Yanqing is the deputy section chief and deputy team leader of the Case Review Office,” Lu Yike whispered promptly to Yang Dong as Liu Shan was leaving, fearing Yang might not grasp the situation.

Indeed…

With Lu Yike’s confirmation, Yang Dong’s suspicions were verified.

“I know,” Yang Dong nodded to Lu Yike, then turned to Lv Yanqing and asked, “Team Leader Lv, may I have some details about the A5 case now?”

He was completely in the dark about the specifics of the A5 case.

Because the special investigation teams did not interfere with each other, they only learned the details after receiving and opening the case files.

“Team Leader Yang, please sign here first.”

“Procedural requirement. Don’t overthink it!” Lv Yanqing said solemnly as he gestured for a team member to hand over the file. Then he looked at Yang Dong.

He handed Yang Dong a thick, bulging manila folder, indicating the complexity of the case.

“I’m not overthinking. This is indeed a procedural rule,” Yang Dong smiled and took the heavy folder, then signed his name under the “Responsible Person” section at the bottom.

“Everyone else sign as well!”

After Yang Dong signed, he passed the folder to Lu Yike, Jiang Hu, and Er Hou, who each signed in turn.

“All right, Team Leader Yang, you may now open the file.”

Lv Yanqing nodded upon seeing the signatures and gestured for Yang Dong to open the folder.

Yang Dong unlocked the clasp and pulled out a thick stack of documents, at least seventy or eighty pages.

Having worked in the Municipal Comprehensive Section for four years, he didn’t need to count; a quick feel with two fingers told him the volume.

“So it’s the Zhao Pengcheng case!”

“Zhao Pengcheng, male, 39 years old, born in 1969, Deputy Minister of the Municipal Party Committee’s Organization Department.”

“Another deputy department-level cadre,” Yang Dong thought to himself. No wonder the First Special Team had no breakthroughs. Now it made sense.

“Yes, Zhao Pengcheng’s statements have been inconsistent every time—utterly unpredictable. Our First Special Team collectively believes his testimony is unreliable,” Lv Yanqing said with a complicated expression. If it weren’t for desperation, they wouldn’t have called for reinforcements.

When the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission announced the conclusion of the Tenth Special Team’s investigation, it put enormous pressure on the other nine teams.

They all worked around the clock, hoping to be the second team to finish an investigation.

But so far, the best any team had done was close a single case.

Several teams hadn’t concluded any cases yet.

Such disparity made everyone restless.

Not only the team members but even the team leaders felt the tension.

Some members secretly criticized Yang Dong and the Tenth Team: “Why are you so eager? Showing off like that will only earn enemies.” This was normal.

But it also placed immense pressure on the other teams.

Now, that pressure weighed on the First Special Team and on Lv Yanqing himself.

As deputy director of the Case Review Office personally leading the First Special Team, Lv felt embarrassed by the stalemate.

Liu Shan’s reputation was also at stake, which was why he brought in Secretary Wei and enlisted the Tenth Team.

In a way, Liu Shan owed Yang Dong a favor, and the First Special Team owed them one as well. They would have to repay it in the future.

“So, where are you currently stuck?” Yang Dong looked up and asked Lv Yanqing.

Lv Yanqing’s face remained serious. He glanced at Room 101 behind them and motioned for Yang Dong to walk outside.

They walked several steps away to put some distance between them and the room.

Although the hotel’s soundproofing was good, it couldn’t completely block outside noise.

They didn’t want Zhao Pengcheng inside overhearing their discussion—that would be troublesome.

“To be honest, Team Leader Yang, the First Team has made no progress on the Zhao Pengcheng case,” Lv Yanqing admitted.

“Don’t laugh, but it’s true,” he said bitterly.

Since the Tenth Team had been brought in, there was no need to cover anything up.

Reputation is earned, not fabricated.

As investigators, they all had a keen eye—lies were easy to spot.

So there was no point in lying.

“How many interrogations have you conducted?”

Yang Dong continued leafing through the documents, which would take some time.

But that didn’t stop him from asking Lv Yanqing for details.

“We’ve interrogated him seven times: twice in the morning, once in the afternoon, and four times at night.”

Lv Yanqing answered somewhat embarrassed.

“You’ve used...methods?” Yang Dong smiled knowingly about the four midnight interrogations—everyone understood what that implied.

“Alas, no choice. Long live understanding,” Lv Yanqing said with a rueful smile.

He knew these methods didn’t comply with discipline inspection regulations, but rules are rigid, and cases must be solved.

Who could strictly follow the rules when trying to crack a case?

“He’s a seasoned operator,” Yang Dong said.

“Also, look at his resume!”

Yang Dong pulled out a sheet from the folder—it was Zhao Pengcheng’s résumé.

He pointed to a particular entry and showed Lv Yanqing.

“Six years ago, he served as Executive Deputy Director of the Party Style and Clean Government Supervision Office of the Shiyuan Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission.”

“He’s extremely familiar with our discipline inspection system.”

“You can’t handle this case the way you have been!”