Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Inside the tea room of the Plum Blossom Division, Fifth Bureau of the Censorate.

Zhou Qingfeng and his core team continued to discuss how to begin investigating the mole.

Of course, the main purpose was to use the pretext of investigating internal traitors to begin eliminating Luo Bingyi's cronies.

Ideally, the traitor should be identified during this process. If not, then the blame for the mastermind's escape due to the leakage of internal intelligence from five departments must be placed on an insider.

The Luo family gang is perfect for taking the blame.

In this way, he could give an explanation to his superiors and also take this opportunity to regain control of the Fifth Division.

Zhou Qingfeng's original plan was to use the power of the Yang family to investigate Yan Wenjiu's background, and then take action against him first to eliminate an important member of the Luo family gang.

Meanwhile, he was distracted by solving the murder case of Guan Wan, expanding the results of the investigation, and making another great contribution.

The dual-track plan is progressing steadily and surely, without interfering with each other.

But things never go according to Zhou Qingfeng's wishes.

Because people are living beings, and there is interaction between people.

This means that the situation is constantly changing.

Plans can never keep up with changes.

All Zhou Qingfeng can do is to respond most effectively when changes occur, keep the initiative in his own hands at all times, minimize his own losses, and seek the greatest benefit in the ever-changing situation.

The four men sat in the tea room plotting for a long time.

He asked a serious question, which instantly silenced the crowd.

"There is indeed a possibility of leaks within the Fifth Division, but have any of you ever suspected Commander Ma?"

"I've heard before that Ma Fushuai has a similar stain on his record."

"This time, someone from the Sword Tower is inexplicably conducting human drug trials. It's possible that he's behind this again."

“Think about it, when the commander reported the case, Ma Fushuai must have been present. If he had carried out the cleanup and cleanup work immediately, he could have done a thorough job of leaving no room for investigation.”

“He is very likely the mastermind. I know my idea is a bit too bold, but when it comes to solving cases, we should make bold assumptions and carefully verify them. We can’t not suspect him just because of his identity.”

As Zhiqi finished speaking, Xiao Hongyun and Jin Wei fell silent, staring at Zhiqi with strange expressions.

Indeed, Ma Dalang was also a suspect, but no one dared to make any accusations. They could only have a suspicion in their hearts. Without solid evidence, no one would say it out loud or even think about it. They could only assume that it was the work of the Renxin Sect or some other evil secret organization because Ma Dalang's identity was extremely special.

Zhou Qingfeng paused involuntarily while drinking tea, a strange expression appearing on his face. He then calmly took another sip and slowly said, "Zhiqi, don't make things up without evidence."

Holding the weapon, his expression turned earnest, and he said, "Commander..."

Jin Wei, who was sitting next to him, immediately kicked the ankle of the man holding the weapon, signaling him to shut up immediately.

"Alright, that concludes today's meeting." Zhou Qingfeng put down his teacup and said calmly, "Zhiqi and Jinwei, you two have failed in your duties, allowing the criminal to escape. Effective immediately, you are demoted but retained. Each of you will receive twenty more lashes, which you will administer to each other. Additionally, you will be fined one year's salary. Don't blame me; this is the rule."

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei and Zhi Qi pursed their lips, stood up in unison, clasped their hands in a salute, and said, "Yes, Commander."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "You can all leave now. I have some things to discuss with Lao Xiao."

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi clasped their hands in a fist salute and bowed their heads before slowly walking out of the tea room.

A short while later, Jin Wei and Zhi Qi arrived at the execution ground where internal officials were punished for their mistakes.

He took off his shirt, grabbed the execution rack with both hands, and said, "Come on, let's finish this quickly so we can call it a day."

Jin Wei took out a centipede whip magic weapon of the Fiend level from the torture instruments. This whip magic weapon could tear the flesh of a Fiend Realm cultivator when it was lashed, and was constantly soaked in Fiend-level venom.

With just one lash, one could whip someone until they cried out in agony, the pain reaching the very marrow of their bones.

While a single blow might not kill a cultivator at the Devouring Fiend Realm, it would be enough to make them faint from the pain.

"Bear with it." Jin Wei raised his hand and lashed out with his whip, striking Zhiqi's back. The powerful body of the Devouring Fiend Realm was immediately left with a bloody welt a finger wide, the granulation tissue of the wound turned outward, and fresh blood flowed out immediately: "Zhiqi, don't blame the commander, this is already showing us mercy."

He grunted in pain, cold sweat pouring down his face, and gritted his teeth, saying, "I know, I don't blame the commander."

According to regulations, cases involving such a serious crime as the "Killing Officials Pill" usually result in severe punishment because officials' incompetence led to the escape of the main perpetrators and the failure to capture any accomplices.

Firstly, he was demoted, dismissed from his post, and barred from holding an official position again.

Secondly, their salaries were fined and their property was confiscated.

Thirdly, they suffered physical punishments such as being struck by lightning, being hacked with knives and axes, being burned, and being whipped.

Fourth, imprisonment or exile.

Fifth, the death penalty.

This is why the two of them were Zhou Qingfeng's confidants; otherwise, they would have faced at least dismissal and imprisonment.

He continued to be whipped, wincing in pain as he said, "I just can't understand this: even though Commander Ma is also a suspect, why won't the commander let me say anything? Is it not even allowed to have a suspicion?"

Jin Wei cracked his whip and said calmly, "That's right, we can't even doubt him. We have no right to doubt the city lord's eldest son. He's Commander Ma, and not just anyone has the right to doubt him."

"You can have doubts in your heart, but never say them out loud, much less take them out of your mouth."

"Never make any accusations against Commander Ma unless you have concrete evidence. Otherwise, it will only cause more trouble and make the Commander's situation more difficult."

The pain from gripping the weapon made his veins bulge, and the whip marks on his back made his mind suddenly clearer, as if he had been suddenly enlightened. He exclaimed, "Oh, I see, so that's how it is!"

Jin Wei lashed out with his whip: "Good that you understand. The human drug testing has been exposed, and the other party has all withdrawn. They won't dare to conduct secret drug testing in the Sword Tower for a long time. The huge hidden danger to the safety of the Sword Tower has disappeared, so who did it and what the truth is have become relatively less important."

"Most importantly, can the commander seize power in the five departments by taking advantage of the opportunity to investigate the traitors?"

"As for whether there really is a traitor, ha, if the commander thinks there is a traitor in the Fifth Division, then even if there isn't one, we have to find one. Otherwise, who will take the blame? We two are just lowly people and certainly don't have enough influence. So we have to find someone with enough influence to take the blame for this deadly situation."

"Damn, that's really ruthless, Lao Jin. You really know the Commander." Zhiqi grimaced, his back a bloody mess after twenty lashes, the skin torn open. He turned around and said, "Quick, put some medicine on me, it hurts so much."

Jin Wei took out some topical wound medicine, sprinkled it on Zhiqi's back, and bandaged him up. He said, "I often can't figure out what the commander is thinking, but in this matter, I believe I haven't made a mistake. After all, I've been following the commander for more than ten years, and we have a tacit understanding to some extent."

He turned around, snatched the whip, and chuckled, "Stop talking nonsense. Did you enjoy the beating just now? Come on, lie down properly, take off your clothes, and have a taste of my whip."

Jin Wei said helplessly, "Go easy on me. I have to be home for dinner on time tonight so my wife won't worry. She has a low tolerance for pain. If something happens to me, she can't sleep all night. Besides, I'm afraid of pain."

He spread his hands, holding the weapon: "Sorry, the commander's orders must be carried out without fail. Twenty lashes are twenty lashes. I wouldn't dare to go easy on you. Old Jin, you'll just have to bear with it."

Upon hearing this, Jin Wei laughed and pointed at the weapon: "You're such a jerk, I should have used more force just now."

"Yes, you're right." Zhiqi smiled slightly, then lashed out with the whip, sending Jin Wei jumping three feet high. He grimaced and gasped for breath. A number of officials from the Fifth Bureau had already gathered around, pointing and whispering among themselves. To save face, Jin Wei endured the pain, gripping the execution rack and stubbornly remaining silent.

Officials from the five departments stood in groups of three or five under the courtyard, pointing at the two people who were being punished.

"I heard that the two of them messed things up, resulting in all the criminals escaping successfully. The case of Killing Official Pill has become a cold case. Commander Zhou will be unable to explain to his superiors and is probably in big trouble."

"Heh, serves him right. To be honest, my good days as Commander Zhou are coming to an end. I'll probably be transferred from the Fifth Division soon for messing up a case and sent back to the City Lord's Mansion to be held accountable. Whether I can keep my position is another matter."

"Speaking of which, Jin Wei and Zhi Qi are incompetent. With so many clues, they still let the criminals escape. They're just useless. If it were me, I would dismiss them and imprison them. At the very least, I would exile them thousands of miles away and confiscate their property."

"Heh, how could Commander Zhou bear to part with them? These two are his most beloved generals. He arranged for them to enter the Fifth Division and promoted and trained them. Even if they cause a huge disaster, Commander Zhou will take care of it for them."

"What, are you envious? Are you going to become Commander Zhou's lackey? It's not too late to go now, lest Commander Zhou is transferred away in a while and you won't even have the chance to curry favor with him."

The beating became known to all the officials in the five departments, but it also meant that the matter was over. Zhou Qingfeng had already punished them, and no one else had any excuse to question him or overstep their bounds.

After all, mistakes must be punished. All the positions with real power in the Fifth Division are held by members of the Luo family gang. If Zhou Qingfeng doesn't punish them, then the head, deputy head, chief clerk, and deputy chief clerk of the Fifth Division will all be waiting in line to be questioned.

Time flies like an arrow; three days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the council hall of the Fifth Division, all the officials, from Zhou Qingfeng, the deputy commander in charge of the Fifth Division, to the deputy director of the Fifth Division, were present without exception.

Zhou Qingfeng sat in the head seat, with the seats to his left and right arranged in order of official rank.

Everything was orderly and orderly.

Zhou Qingfeng glanced around, calm and composed, and said in a nonchalant tone, "To be honest, I have been in the Fifth Division for quite some time now, but I have never held a formal meeting with you all. I have been too busy with affairs to find the time to get to know you all. However, today is an opportunity for us to get to know each other better."

As Zhou Qingfeng finished his opening remarks, the room fell silent. Everyone smiled and nodded, no one interrupted him, and no one dared to speak casually in such a formal setting.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled slightly: "I'm sure you all know that the perpetrator has successfully escaped and fled the country. The main reason I've summoned you here today is to discuss this matter."

Upon hearing this, Luo Bingyi, Zhai Xingyuan, Yan Wenjiu, Pei Xingchun, and others all looked puzzled. However, most of them were not qualified to speak, and Luo Bingyi was the only one present who could talk to Zhou Qingfeng on equal terms.

Luo Bingyi slowly sipped his tea, looking old and steady as an old dog, and didn't say a word. Since Luo Bingyi didn't speak, the others didn't dare to either. With no one responding, the atmosphere became awkward.

However, Zhou Qingfeng did not stop because of the awkward silence. He continued to perform his monologue with a faint smile: "Time is tight and everyone is busy with official duties, so I will not waste any more words and will get straight to the point."

“During the investigation, an insider in the Fifth Division tipped off the perpetrators, allowing them to get ahead of us in every way, kill witnesses, and destroy evidence in advance, ultimately leading to the complete breakdown of all leads.”

The previously quiet council chamber suddenly became lively because of Zhou Qingfeng's words.

Upon hearing this, Luo Bingyi had a premonition that something was amiss.

Zhai Xingyuan and Yan Wenjiu also keenly sensed the danger.

Pei Xingchun faced Zhou Qingfeng, who was in the head seat, clasped his hands and said, "Commander, may I say a word?"

Zhou Qingfeng smiled slightly: "Manager Pei, you can speak frankly."

Pei Xingchun, the person in charge, said, "Commander, should we further investigate the matter of the traitor? We can't just say that there is a traitor in our Fifth Division because two incompetent people let the criminals escape. Isn't that a bit too arbitrary?"

Yan Wenjiu, the person in charge, immediately chimed in: "That's right. Our Fifth Division has never let a criminal escape because of an insider. This is absolutely not the work of an insider. The claim of an insider is pure nonsense. Please do not be deceived, Commander."

Deputy Supervisor Zhai Xingyuan said, “Commander, if you had entrusted this case to us, we would never have let the criminals escape. You cannot, just because Jin Wei and Zhi Qi are your trusted subordinates, try to shirk responsibility by saying that there is a traitor in our Fifth Division and that we should investigate the traitor in the Fifth Division. This is not reasonable or logical.”

Luo Bingyi smiled and remained silent, as steady as an old dog, without offering any opinion. However, one after another, his students jumped out, each speaking righteously and hypocritically, directly opposing Zhou Qingfeng and determined not to let Zhou Qingfeng successfully obtain the opportunity to investigate the traitor.

Otherwise, the Luo family gang would be in trouble. After all, if Zhou Qingfeng gets his hands on the knife of investigating internal traitors, he can investigate whoever he wants and kill whoever he wants. No one is innocent and can withstand an investigation.

Before the mole is even found, a whole bunch of people will be lining up to go to jail.

Zhou Qingfeng narrowed his eyes, his expression unchanged, and smiled as he glanced at Luo Bingyi: "Supervisor Luo, why don't you share your opinion? Do you think there's an inside man in our Fifth Division who's tipping off the criminals?"

Luo Bingyi put down his teacup, his cloudy eyes scrutinizing Zhou Qingfeng. He smiled slightly and said, "Commander Zhou, words are not enough. You say there is a traitor in the Fifth Division, so you must produce some evidence, otherwise you cannot convince the public."

Zhou Qingfeng tapped the table and chuckled, "Manager Luo, I certainly don't have any evidence. If I did, I would have arrested him directly. Why bother investigating the mole? However, I can show you all the detailed case files. Jin Wei, prepare the instruments and distribute a copy of the case files to each of you."

Jin Wei and Zhi Qi were waiting outside the council hall when they heard Zhou Qingfeng's call. They immediately came in with case files in both hands and distributed them to the officials present one by one.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled slightly and gestured, "Please take a good look, everyone. We'll talk after you've finished."

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