Chapter 113: Yang Dong’s Plan

“Team Leader Lü, every special task force has its own way of handling cases, I understand!”
“Go ahead and make the call.”

Yang Dong smiled as he nodded at Lü Yanqing. Each person has a different understanding of responsibility and decisiveness. Whether to report first or act first and then report depends entirely on how the situation unfolds.

Lü Yanqing felt somewhat embarrassed. As a fellow special task force leader, he wasn’t as bold as Yang Dong. Thinking back to the major cases announced by the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission’s investigation team—each was personally handled by Yang Dong. Especially the massive corruption case involving Gu Santong, Director of the Municipal Education Bureau, who embezzled over twenty million yuan—truly shocking.

There was also Tian Guanghan, Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, who was found to have embezzled several million yuan. Yang Dong even helped Secretary Yin clear his name, allowing him to return to work at the municipal government.

Any one of these three cases was beyond Lü Yanqing’s capability. Deep down, he admired Yang Dong. After all, Yang Dong had been just a low-level clerk before, not even a deputy section chief. Even now, his position was only confirmed after the public personnel announcement period ended.

“Alright, Yang Team Leader, we’ll follow your lead. No reporting—we handle this ourselves!”

Lü Yanqing felt it was time to show some backbone. Director Liu Shan inviting Yang Dong’s team to assist their first special task force was a clear signal. If they still had to report everything to the director, Lü feared he’d be branded incompetent in Liu’s eyes, which wouldn’t bode well for his career or casework.

“It’s not just my decision. Let’s discuss this together. Your first special task force will take the lead. Our tenth task force will assist.”

Yang Dong corrected Lü Yanqing, clarifying their roles properly.

“Alright, alright. So how do we proceed exactly?”

Eager to get started, Lü Yanqing asked directly.

Yang Dong thought for a moment, then spoke quietly: “Release Zhao Pengcheng with the reason that no clear evidence has been found yet. But tell him he’s not allowed to leave Lingyun City and cannot return to work for now. If there are any issues, he must come back immediately.”

“If we just let him go without saying anything, he’ll be suspicious—he’s a seasoned operator.”

“We have to show reluctance, make it seem like we’re forced to release him. That way, he’ll lower his guard.”

Lü Yanqing nodded with a smile. “I understand that. Please continue.”

“After he’s out, he’ll probably stay quietly at home for a few days, without any action.”

“But once he realizes we’re not coming after him, he’ll make a move.”

“When you interrogated him, he said nothing, right? This time, we won’t need to get confessions from him. We’ll catch him red-handed with witnesses and evidence. He won’t be able to deny anything.”

“Old foxes like him only learn when hit hard. Just because he’s worked at the Discipline Inspection Commission for a few years doesn’t mean he’s untouchable. What a joke.”

“Once he’s out, we must assign a visible Discipline Inspection officer to monitor him—someone he knows is watching.”

“That will make him think the surveillance is compromised. Then he’ll act boldly but with caution.”

“Our job is to intensify secret monitoring, tracking every move without him realizing it.”

“Our commission isn’t skilled at this kind of work. I suggest we involve the Public Security Bureau.”

Yang Dong laid out each step clearly, making sure Lü Yanqing fully understood.

Lü Yanqing was impressed. With this plan, Zhao Pengcheng would be completely exposed, like a naked child with no secrets left.

But the mention of involving the Public Security Bureau made Lü uneasy.

“Team Leader Yang, our Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission’s cases require high confidentiality. Isn’t this risky?”

“Team Leader Lü, we’ve already taken the biggest risk by releasing him. What’s left to fear?”

Yang Dong knew what Lü was worried about, but releasing Zhao Pengcheng was the greatest risk; everything else was minor in comparison.

“Besides, we don’t have to call in the local public security officers. We can bring in officers from outside the city.”

Calling in outside police officers has become a growing practice in recent years.

If there’s distrust toward local police, bringing in external officers is safer.

“Outside officers? From where?”

Lü Yanqing felt the operation was getting bigger than expected. Was such high alert necessary just to handle Zhao Pengcheng? Even involving outside officers?

Yet, he found it thrilling and fulfilling, like starring in an American blockbuster. Previously, their first task force handled cases more routinely, without any real tension or excitement—nothing like the suspense in films.

Now, it finally felt like something.

“From Kaiyang County Public Security Bureau!”

Yang Dong had already targeted Kaiyang County’s police.

Not because Kaiyang’s police were exceptional, but because Kaiyang was unique, making its police force more independent.

The County Party Secretary of Kaiyang was a member of the Municipal Party Standing Committee, and Kaiyang was the city’s major economic county.

The Kaiyang County Public Security Bureau’s funding came directly from the county treasury, with almost no interference from the city.

Whoever pays the piper calls the tune.

Kaiyang’s police answered only to Secretary Tan of the County Party Committee.

Fortunately, Yang Dong had recently done a favor for Tan Long, the county party secretary.

Tan’s secretary, Song Sifeng, had given Yang Dong a business card—a favor that would expire unused otherwise.

Now was the time to call in that favor with Secretary Song.

However, this operation required prior approval from their leadership.

“Team Leader Lü, we’ll act separately. You go and perform for Zhao Pengcheng, making him believe we have no choice but to release him.”

“I’m going to report to our superiors now, requesting the assistance of the Kaiyang County Public Security Bureau.”

After saying this, Yang Dong took out an internal Discipline Inspection phone and called Deputy Team Leader Liu Shan.

Since this task was assigned by Liu Shan, Yang Dong had to report back.

Calling Su Tongzhou was not appropriate—Su hadn’t asked him to assist the first task force.

“We will definitely do our best on this!”

Lü Yanqing nodded firmly, then turned toward room 101’s door.

Yang Dong put his phone on speaker, connected to Liu Shan’s line.