Chapter 31: Once Again Appointed as Team Leader

“Why can’t I be here?” Ji Hongyu sneered, glancing at Yang Dong before pulling his work ID from his pocket and displaying it right in front of him.

“Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission Investigation Team, Tenth Special Case Investigation Group, Team Leader, Ji Hongyu!”

After flashing his credentials, Ji Hongyu immediately shouted to Hou Donglai and Hou Shuangquan, who stood to either side, “What are you two still standing there for? There’s an outsider interfering with the commission’s investigation. Get him out of here!”

“If there’s a leak, are you willing to take responsibility?”

Ji Hongyu’s rebuke left the two Hou brothers deeply aggrieved. Ever since Ji Hongyu had become team leader, he’d treated them as mere lackeys, barking orders and never regarding them as real team members—just errand boys.

And now, commanding them to throw Yang Dong out only stoked their anger. After all, Yang Dong was the original team leader; Ji Hongyu was just a successor. Especially since Hou Donglai feared Yang Dong, terrified that his secret might be exposed.

But Ji Hongyu was the team leader now, and orders were orders.

“Team Leader Yang, please step outside for now.” Hou Donglai approached with a look of helplessness, addressing Yang Dong.

He truly had no choice.

“What ‘Team Leader Yang’? He has nothing to do with the investigation team now!” Ji Hongyu snapped. “Hou Donglai, do you want to keep your job or not? If not, you can get out of the commission too!”

He was furious at Hou Donglai for addressing Yang Dong as team leader. He was the leader now—who did Yang Dong think he was? Clearly, Hou Donglai had no sense of his position, nor had he picked his side well…

Hou Donglai’s face flushed with anger. He could bear it no longer.

“Fine, I’ll leave! Do you think I want to stay at the commission?” he shouted, turning on Ji Hongyu. “I’m at least a deputy section chief at the city prosecutor’s office—why should I let you order me around here? Who do you think you are?”

“Ji Hongyu, you’re nothing without your well-connected uncle!”

“I quit, satisfied?”

He ripped off his commission badge in a fit of rage.

Yang Dong was astonished. He hadn’t expected Hou Donglai to have such backbone, daring to lose his temper with Ji Hongyu. For a moment, he even felt a flicker of admiration for Hou Donglai.

But then he remembered that, in his past life, Hou Donglai had been a petty official and a major grafter—whatever goodwill had arisen was instantly erased.

“I’m leaving too!” declared Hou Shuangquan. Seeing Hou Donglai throw down his badge, he didn’t hesitate and removed his own commission ID as well.

Both of them had been seconded from the city prosecutor’s office. If Hou Donglai left, staying alone in the tenth group would spell trouble for Hou Shuangquan—Ji Hongyu would surely make things difficult for him.

So, without a word, he followed Hou Donglai out.

“If you both leave, who’s going to do the work?” Ji Hongyu’s eyes widened in alarm. He hadn’t expected the two Hous to be so hot-tempered, quitting on the spot.

“Let whoever you want do it! Aren’t you so capable? Do it yourself!” Hou Donglai shot back with a cold laugh, waving a dismissive hand as he strode over to Yang Dong.

“Team Leader Yang, how did I do?” he asked ingratiatingly, his tone dripping with flattery.

This nearly made Ji Hongyu’s blood boil. Yang Dong, whose secondment had already been terminated, was no longer team leader—yet Hou Donglai still groveled before him. What on earth had Yang Dong done to earn such ‘loyalty’?

“Very good,” Yang Dong replied, patting Hou Donglai’s shoulder with a smile and a nod.

He knew Hou Donglai’s attitude was nothing but fear of his secret being exposed. If Yang Dong didn’t have that leverage, Hou Donglai might even wish him dead.

It was a sharp warning: never do anything wrong, never leave yourself vulnerable to blackmail. An official should conduct himself with integrity, unafraid of enemies or rivals. Either be a hedgehog—bristling with quills—or a slippery eel—impossible to grasp. The former deters with defenses, the latter leaves nothing to hold onto.

“Shall we go then, Team Leader Yang?” Hou Donglai prompted again.

Yang Dong shook his head with a smile. “No, it’s not me who should be leaving.”

He had returned with Quanguanshan’s permission; the party secretary himself had summoned him back. The position of team leader in the tenth group—sorry, but it was his to fill.

With the personal assurance of the municipal standing committee member and the secretary of the commission, what more was needed?

“Ji Hongyu, I’m afraid the team leader of the tenth group is still me,” Yang Dong said, stepping confidently toward Ji Hongyu, his voice calm yet resolute.

“Are you dreaming?” Ji Hongyu retorted. “Look—my credentials are issued by the commission’s office!”

He tapped his work ID for emphasis; black and white letters, stamped with the commission’s official seal. Was he not the legitimate team leader?

“There may have been a mistake. Why don’t you check with the commission’s office?” Yang Dong replied with a serene smile.

“You’ve lost your mind! Do you think the commission’s office is a marketplace, just somewhere you can ‘go and check’?” Ji Hongyu glared at Yang Dong, his face twitching in rage.

“You really should go and check.” A voice echoed from the end of the corridor—it was Lu Yike.

Striding forward in a sharp black suit, the national emblem pinned to her chest, she opened a brand-new work ID. Printed on it: Lingyun Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission Investigation Team, Tenth Special Case Investigation Group, Team Leader: Yang Dong.

Above the line, there was a two-inch ID photo of Yang Dong, red background, bareheaded.

She also handed over a commission-issued contact phone.

“Team Leader, welcome back,” Lu Yike said, extending her hand with the ID and phone.

“Thank you, Comrade Yike,” Yang Dong replied, not surprised at all that his credentials were restored. He took the ID and shook her hand.

Once Yang Dong hung the badge around his neck, Hou Donglai hurried over.

“Team Leader, I was just upset a moment ago. I’m not leaving the investigation team—I’m still your man, ready for your orders!”

Hou Shuangquan, exhausted by the drama, saw Hou Donglai return and could only follow suit.

“Good. None of us in the tenth group will leave,” Yang Dong nodded, finding Hou Donglai much more agreeable now. The only one who still irritated him was Ji Hongyu—he wasn’t just an eyesore, he was a real nuisance.

“What’s going on? Why did you give him his voided credentials?” Ji Hongyu demanded, glaring at Lu Yike.

“These aren’t voided. The commission’s office just asked me to bring them over,” she replied coolly. “Secretary Ling also said that Yang Dong remains the team leader of the tenth group. If you don’t believe it, go ask.”

Lu Yike, hands in her pockets, eyed Ji Hongyu with indifference. Others might be intimidated by his connections, but not her. She wouldn’t even care if it were Ling Zhenting himself. If she didn’t genuinely love her work at the commission—making a real difference—she’d have returned to the provincial capital already. She despised the endless scheming and infighting that had turned the commission into a mess, stripping it of all authority and dignity.

Three times in two days, Yang Dong had been targeted. To say there was no intrigue here would be an insult to anyone’s intelligence. His return as team leader was just the latest move in the ongoing power struggle—now, the heavyweights behind the scenes were revealing themselves.

“I don’t believe it. How could this be? I don’t believe it!” Ji Hongyu was dumbfounded—he’d barely been team leader for four hours, and now Yang Dong was back?

His uncle, Ling Zhenting, had assured him at noon that the tenth group was meant for him, that only some meddling leader had let Yang Dong take the post. So what had happened now? Had another leader intervened?

How could Yang Dong have so much backing? So many powerful people helping him?

It was shameless—relying on connections. What kind of ability was that? Disgusting!

Gnashing his teeth, he turned and stormed out.

He was going to find his uncle for help!