The Fangshi Administration Building.
The very moment Zhao De received word that a member of the special investigation team had been killed, he rushed over to find Lin Zhiyan, desperate to clear the air.
Fierce though the infighting between them had been, it had always remained a soft confrontation. He had never harbored the slightest intention of murdering an imperial commissioner.
The last person who dared kill an imperial commissioner had been wiped out like a bandit. The one before that had managed to flee across the border, only to be dragged back across state lines by a Martial Marquis.
Not a single one of the overseas powerhouses—be they the Eight Kings of the Greenwood, the Celestial Masters of the Celestial Master Dao, or the Buddhas of the Primordial Buddha Sect—dared utter a peep.
In the human world, not a single organization or individual dared defy the Federation.
When he reached the special investigation team's offices, the place was already empty.
After questioning the staff, he learned that Lin Zhiyan had never even come to the administration building today.
*Beep, beep, beep...*
"The party you are calling cannot be reached at the moment. Please try again later..."
Zhao De could not get through to Lin Zhiyan's phone.
Just then, Secretary Liu hurried up and reported, "Chief, I checked with the front desk at the team's hotel. The investigation team has already checked out."
"She must be scared out of her wits."
Zhao De pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a massive headache coming on.
Secretary Liu chimed in, "Team Leader Lin seemed valiant enough in the battle reports against the Greenwood bandits. Why is she so timid now? Looks to me like her reputation is all talk."
Still smarting from how she had humiliated him a few days ago, he could not resist slipping in a snide remark.
Yet the two situations were obviously not the same.
"Can fighting an open battle compare to a camp mutiny?" Zhao De snapped, thoroughly exasperated.
She was just a young woman, after all. On her very first frontline deployment, she could withstand direct pressure, but almost anyone would panic when stabbed in the back.
Had Zhao De been in her shoes, his first instinct would also have been to run.
"And didn't I tell you to keep a tight lid on the Foreign District? How did you let such a massive disaster blow wide open!"
Secretary Liu lowered his head in silence.
He had no idea how it had happened either.
Zhao De quickly suppressed his fury, calculating his countermoves in an instant. "Do you have that Lu Zhao's contact information? Get him on the line for me immediately."
At this point, Team Leader Lin probably trusted no one but Lu Zhao. Reaching out to her directly would only escalate tensions.
As long as Lü Bowen had not fallen into her hands, there was still room to maneuver.
At most, they would hand over every single thug involved in the attack.
Only by securing all the witnesses and physical evidence to close the case could he safely report up to the Circuit Politics Bureau.
That would also prevent the people backing Lin Zhiyan from using the incident as a pretext to strike.
Moreover, Lin Zhiyan clearly had not reported the matter yet—at least not in the form of an official dispatch. Otherwise, Zhao De's superiors would have already phoned him and chewed him out mercilessly.
It was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. That girl from the Lin family was simply too green, after all.
"I'll connect you right away."
Ever since Lü Jinshan was suspended, Secretary Liu had thoroughly probed the border defense station's inner workings.
Before long, the call went through, and he handed the receiver to Zhao De with both hands.
Zhao De kept his tone even. "Hello, Comrade Lu Zhao. This is City Executive Zhao De. Is Team Leader Lin with you?"
Lu Zhao answered truthfully, "She is not, but I am on my way to rendezvous with her."
"Please ensure Team Leader Lin's safety at all costs. We here in Fangshi will certainly guarantee the special investigation team's security."
Zhao De sounded earnest as he added, "I am the chief executive of Fangshi. I will take full responsibility for anything that happens in this city. Please relay that to Team Leader Lin."
"Understood."
Zhao De hung up the phone, only for the secretary beside him to deliver another piece of bad news.
"Chief... Lü Bowen has been arrested."
"Didn't I tell you to notify Lü Jinshan?"
"I did, but Lu Zhao's men moved too fast. The moment they entered the city, they headed straight for the Foreign District."
Zhao De's expression instantly darkened like soot. After a brief pause, he shifted his plans decisively.
"Go draft a report this instant. Lay out the entire sequence of events from beginning to end—leave nothing out."
"Also, tell the Lü brothers to hand over every single thug involved. Don't let a single one slip away. If necessary, throw both brothers under the bus. Go straighten out Lü Jinshan's thinking so he doesn't slip up and give anything away."
"Yes, sir."
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Secretary Liu dared not delay a moment longer. He spun on his heel and hurried out.
Zhao De found a secluded corner and dialed his superior's number.
***
On a narrow country road in the suburbs, several jeeps were pulled over by the shoulder.
Lin Zhiyan sat inside one of them, gnawing on her thumbnail, her nerves pulled taut.
After the initial panic, she had gradually regained her composure.
This was an opportunity—an opportunity to break the deadlock.
Previously, the local administration of Fangshi had constantly played tai chi with her, rendering the city as impenetrable as an iron plate where neither water could seep nor a needle could pierce.
This was common across border cities. Because they constantly faced all manner of threats, local authorities required a high degree of autonomy. Even places that lacked the credentials to station a regular army corps were studded with fully equipped border defense stations.
Lin Zhiyan had been unable to find any angle to break through. Now, however, the other side had handed her a justification—a reason so solid that even rolling troops into the city would draw no objections.
The side that suffered casualties held the moral high ground.
Just then, a military truck rumbled in from the distance, pulling up ten meters away from the investigation team's convoy.
Soldiers armed to the teeth hopped down, led by a handsome young officer.
The tension visibly drained from the eight surviving members of the special investigation team.
Lin Zhiyan stepped out of the vehicle. Lu Zhao marched his men up to her, snapped to attention, and saluted. "Reinforced Platoon, 1st Mobile Company, Ant Ridge border defense station—standing by for your orders."
He was as rigid as iron as ever, yet at this moment, he gave everyone an unprecedented sense of security.
Lin Zhiyan studied him for a moment before returning the salute. "The situation is urgent. Let's get in the car and talk on the move."
"Yes, ma'am."
Lu Zhao handed his rifle to Liu Qiang and climbed into the jeep. With the military truck clearing the path ahead, the team's jeeps followed close behind.
The convoy sped toward the Foreign District, drawing eyes all along the route.
Lu Zhao sat on the right side of the rear seat, while Lin Zhiyan sat slightly toward the center, sitting closer to him than before.
"I suspect this incident was an accident," she said. "Zhao De has no reason to pull a stunt like this."
Though Lin Zhiyan currently held an abysmal impression of Zhao De, logic told her it was unlikely. Even if he managed to kill her, where could he possibly run?
"City Executive Zhao phoned me just now. He said he would guarantee your safety at all costs."
Lu Zhao recounted the conversation plainly without embellishment. He had no need to slander the man, nor did he stoop to such tactics; a city executive could not be brought down by a few snide remarks.
"He's probably bewildered too, unaware of the full picture."
The two exchanged a knowing glance, each reading the other's intent through the faint ripples of psychic energy between them.
They could use this incident as leverage.
"What do you plan to do?" Lin Zhiyan asked.
Lu Zhao replied, "I just apprehended Lü Bowen, Lü Jinshan's younger brother. He runs a bar in Kabukicho and has a filthy record. I plan to use this to put Lü Jinshan behind bars."
Once Lü Jinshan was out of the picture, Lu Zhao would naturally gain full control over the border defense station.
Lin Zhiyan had anticipated as much. She raised no objection, instead offering a further suggestion. "If Lü Bowen takes the fall entirely on his own, or if the case is transferred to the local Court of Judicial Review, they're likely to reduce a major crime to a minor one, and grant medical parole for the minor offense."
"Even an Intermediate Court of Judicial Review isn't safe. I can apply for a Circuit Politics Bureau direct line for you and assign the case straight to the Nanhai Circuit Supreme Court of Judicial Review, minimizing the Chen family's influence."
Lu Zhao's eyes brightened slightly. He nodded. "Thank you."
Perhaps this was what his mentor meant by selecting the right men to harness momentum—choosing suitable allies to ride the tide of circumstance.
"Helping you is helping myself."
Lin Zhiyan smiled and extended her hand. Lu Zhao took it, offering a smile in return.
For a fleeting instant, it was almost dazzling.
Only when Lu Zhao let go of her hand did Lin Zhiyan snap back to reality, a quiet murmur stirring in her heart.
She could somewhat understand Chen Qian now.
Chapter 66