Nominal: Hou Liangping blocking the door? He was slapped away!

Li Dakang's chest heaved violently, each breath accompanied by a burning pain.

default?

Shaking the pot?

No matter which option he chooses now, it's a dead end.

By default, he acknowledged that he was the "protector," thus ending Li Dakang's political career.

Trying to shift the blame will only make him appear more incompetent and ridiculous in the face of irrefutable video evidence.

His mind was working at an unprecedented speed, a mixture of anger, humiliation, and fear, all of which ultimately turned into cold political calculations.

It's beyond saving.

Du Cheng is a completely rotten person.

He was no longer a pawn, but a piece of rotten flesh stained with deadly poison.

Whoever gets involved will rot along with it.

If I continue to defend him, I will not only bear the infamous reputation of "insulting the spirit of the military," but I will also be nailed to the pillar of historical shame by the statement in that video that "Secretary Li gave me the power."

Cutting.

It must be cut immediately.

This is the only way out.

The murderous intent in his eyes gradually faded, transforming into an even more terrifying resolve.

Like a gambler who, after losing all his chips, decides to bet his arm on the table.

Li Dakang took a deep breath, and the rise and fall of his chest subsided slightly.

He straightened the collar of his already wrinkled shirt, a gesture that restored some of the dignity he had as the municipal party secretary.

He was about to speak.

He was prepared to abandon the task and use the harshest language to completely condemn this fool to the abyss in order to save himself.

Li Dakang turned around and faced Shen Zhong again.

He even managed a stiff, distorted expression on his face, like some kind of official smile.

He was about to speak.

At this critical moment.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed his arm forcefully.

That hand was very strong; even through the shirt fabric, Li Dakang could feel its undeniable force.

Li Dakang frowned.

He turned his head to look, somewhat annoyed.

It is Qi Tongwei.

He tried to pull his arm back, but the other person held on tightly.

This almost offensive act reignited Li Dakang's anger.

Qi Tongwei, however, ignored it all.

He took a step to Li Dakang's side, almost pressing himself against him.

He leaned close to Li Dakang's ear and uttered a few words in a very low and urgent voice that only the two of them could hear.

"Secretary Dakang."

"The degree of involvement with the Bright Peak project is too deep."

Li Dakang's body seemed to freeze instantly.

Qi Tongwei's voice, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake, continued to burrow into his ears.

"The video is a minor matter, and insulting martyrs is a minor matter."

"What if he's taken back to the military region by Shen Zhong..."

"He'll say anything to save his life."

"Then he'll throw all the dirty water on you..."

Qi Tongwei did not continue speaking.

Li Dakang's body suddenly stiffened.

The noble and selfless words he was about to utter were abruptly cut off by an invisible hand, stuck back in his throat.

Bright Peak.

Bright Peak!

How could he forget that!

He was only thinking about how to distance himself from the situation and how to protect his reputation.

But they forgot the most fundamental, and most fatal, point.

Du Cheng was the one who tacitly approved the Bright Peak project, "The Cleaner".

Although I don't know the specifics, the ability to effectively advance the project must involve some shady demolition methods, suppressed complaints about construction quality, and dirty money used for maintaining stability...

Every single item has been handled by Du Shi.

He knows too much!

If Cheng Du falls into Shen Zhong's hands, he will be taken to that military court that is not under the jurisdiction of the local government.

In order to reduce his sentence and save his life, he would definitely spill everything he knows, and he would very likely pin the blame on the person in charge of the project.

At that point, the nature of the problem will have completely changed.

It would no longer be a matter of leadership responsibility for Li Dakang's poor personnel selection.

Rather, it was Li Dakang who, for the sake of political achievements, orchestrated and covered up a shoddy construction project with huge safety hazards, thus committing dereliction of duty!

Li Dakang felt a chill rush from his tailbone straight to the top of his head.

He slowly turned his head and stared at Qi Tongwei with an extremely cold gaze.

Qi Tongwei did not evade the question.

He met Li Dakang's gaze and responded with a meaningful look.

The message conveyed in those eyes was very clear.

You and Chengdu are now in the same boat.

If the boat capsizes, no one will survive.

In just a few seconds.

Without exchanging a single word, the two completed an exchange of interests and reached a consensus that concerned their lives and fortunes.

Li Dakang understood.

He finally understood Shen Zhong's sinister intentions.

This trap is a series of interconnected problems.

From beginning to end, Shen Zhong's target was not Cheng Du, a minor character, nor even Li Dakang's reputation.

What Shen Zhong wanted was the entire Guangming Peak project, the super bomb that could completely bury Li Dakang!

The degree is now that fuse.

Even if he's a pile of shit, we must hold onto him tightly now.

Absolutely, absolutely must not be handed over!

……

At the other end of the hall.

Shen Zhong sat calmly in the leather swivel chair.

He held the cup of tea and gently skimmed off the foam with the lid, the whole process unhurried and deliberate.

He watched with a cold eye as Li Dakang and Qi Tongwei whispered to each other in secret.

He didn't need to hear what they were saying.

All he needed to do was look at Li Dakang's ever-changing face.

From resolute determination to shock, then to panic, and finally to utter despair.

He knew that Qi Tongwei, that clever man, had delivered the most crucial message for him.

Zhou Weiguo's hand never left the holster at his waist.

He leaned forward slightly, like a cheetah poised to pounce, vigilantly watching for any possible disturbances within the enemy ranks.

With just one command from Shen Zhong, he could guarantee that no one here would be able to take Cheng Du away today.

Li Dakang readjusted his emotions.

He released his hand, whose knuckles had turned white from the force.

The toughness and authority characteristic of a municipal party secretary gradually returned to his face.

It was as if the person who had just lost his composure and panicked was not him at all.

He turned around again to face Shen Zhong.

His attitude underwent a complete 180-degree turn.

Seeing him like this, Qi Tongwei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He took half a step back and returned to his original position.

But he knew this was just the beginning.

The real battle is about to begin.

He lowered his voice and added a sentence behind Li Dakang.

"Secretary Dakang, the person must be in our hands."

"This is the bottom line."