License Plate Han A00001! The Big Shots Arrive!

Three days later.

Yue Xiaofei pulled out a plain cloth bag.

Inside were a photograph of his mother, Ye Qingmei, and a bunch of white chrysanthemums tied with red string.

In the photograph, she wore a white coat and had gentle eyes.

"Grandpa, I'm going to see Mom!"

Yue Xiaofei called out to his grandfather.

His mother, Ye Qingmei, had once been Jiangcheng's most renowned pediatrician.

A year earlier.

A terrible disease had broken out in Handong Province.

It had affected millions, especially children!

When Ye Qingmei received the emergency notice, she was cooking millet porridge for Grandpa.

She wiped her hands and stroked Yue Xiaofei's head. "Xiaofei, I'll be right back. When I get home, I'll make your favorite sweet-and-sour ribs."

That was the last time Yue Xiaofei heard his mother speak.

Half a month later.

He received a death notice stamped with a red seal—

Ye Qingmei had contracted the disease and passed away!

"Mom, I'm coming to see you!"

Yue Xiaofei tucked the photograph into the cloth bag and murmured to himself.

"I have good news. I got the top score in Jiangbei Province's science track."

"Once I've cleared up Dad's case and uncovered Grandpa's identity, I'll bring them to see you!"

He slung the bag over his shoulder, left the small house, and headed for Qingshan Cemetery.

Meanwhile, at an expressway entrance in Handong Province.

Rumble!

The Rolls-Royce Phantom's engine gave a low growl.

Its license plate read Jiang B88888!

"Mr. Gao, it looks like there's a traffic restriction. No vehicles are allowed onto the expressway," the driver said.

"What's going on?"

Gao Tianxiong sat in the back seat and said irritably, "Who's going to take responsibility if I miss my contract signing in the provincial capital?"

"This is Jiangcheng. If Gao Tianxiong's car wants through, who dares stop it?"

"Drive through! I'll take responsibility if anything happens!"

Faced with the order, the driver gritted his teeth and floored the accelerator.

Vroom!

The Rolls-Royce's nose surged forward. It was about to smash through the barrier!

"Wait! Stop the car!"

Gao Tianxiong suddenly roared, his voice filled with unprecedented fear.

Screech!

Startled, the driver slammed the brakes to the floor. The tires shrieked against the road, and the car stopped just short of the cordon.

"Mr. Gao, what's wrong?"

The driver was baffled.

He had just been told to drive through. Why the sudden change?

"Quick! Reverse! Back up!"

Gao Tianxiong gave another order. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead, and his whole body trembled.

"Yes, sir."

The driver had worked for him for years, but this was the first time he had seen Mr. Gao lose his composure.

Rumble!

Just then, a vehicle slowly approached from the distance!

It was no luxury car, just an ordinary Coaster.

Its body was mottled, without even a decent paint job.

But the emergency lights on its roof were flashing brightly.

"Isn't it just a minibus?"

The driver scratched his head. "Mr. Gao, is it really worth getting this scared over?"

"Shut up! You don't know a damn thing!"

Gao Tianxiong cursed, then explained.

"A Rolls-Royce with its umbrellas is nothing to fear. It's a Coaster with flashing lights you need to watch out for!"

"A Maybach marks the peak of your career. A Coaster marks the peak of your life!"

He lowered his voice, unable to hide his dread.

"A vehicle like that is either carrying a group of big shots or a busload of guns! If you'd driven through just now, we'd be finished!"

The driver went pale, shaken by how close he had come.

Then the two of them noticed a line of cars following the Coaster—

Five Red Flag Limousines, their paint a deep black and their license plates dazzlingly bright.

Han A00001!

Han A00002!

Han A00003!

Han A00004!

Han A00005!

"Th-those license plates..."

The driver's voice shook. Even he knew what they meant.

Jiangcheng's Jiang B00001 belonged only to Jiangcheng's top official.

But Han A00001 was the ride of the province's number one official!

And now, the five highest-ranking officials in Handong Province had all come?

The Coaster rolled slowly past the Rolls-Royce, its windows darkly tinted.

But through a gap, they could make out more than a dozen middle-aged men in official jackets, each with an imposing presence.

"Hiss..."

Gao Tianxiong's face grew grave. Ash fell onto his trousers, but he didn't notice.

Handong Province!

It was a major economic powerhouse in central China, no weaker than Jiangbei Province in any respect.

Why had so many big shots suddenly come to Jiangcheng?

Were they inspecting local work?

Or was some major operation under way?

"Mr. Gao, what do we do now?" the driver asked cautiously.

"Wait!"

Gao Tianxiong took out his phone and called a trusted subordinate. "Get in touch with Secretary Zhang at the provincial government. Ask him if there's some major event in Jiangcheng today."

Jiangcheng Municipal Compound.

"Secretary Li!"

Xiao Zhang rushed into the office and looked at Li Dakang, Jiangcheng's top official.

"We just got word. The top officials from Handong Province have come to Jiangcheng!"

"Which one? Why didn't we get advance notice?"

Li Dakang looked up, surprise flashing in his eyes.

"All of them!"

Xiao Zhang swallowed, his voice trembling. "Secretary Sha is leading them personally! The top five provincial officials and the heads of all the cities are here. Their motorcade stretches for dozens of vehicles!"

"What?"

Li Dakang shot to his feet. The pen fell from his hand, and ink stained his shirt black.

In thirty years in government, he had never seen anything like this!

Provincial officials had procedures for reporting their travel.

Sha Zhenjiang of Handong Province was a man who governed an entire province. His trips always had to be reported in advance.

Yet today, half of Handong Province's leadership had suddenly descended on Jiangcheng without so much as a phone call!

"Get the cars ready!"

Li Dakang bellowed, "Tell every member of the Municipal Government leadership to assemble at the expressway exit immediately!"

Soon, the motorcade drove out of the Municipal Government Compound.

Li Dakang was drenched in sweat, his heart pounding wildly.

This was no routine inspection!

For Sha Zhenjiang to bring Handong Province's entire top leadership on a surprise visit to Jiangcheng, something enormous had to be behind it!

Was it a crackdown on organized crime?

Or had some project gone disastrously wrong?

But even then, it should have been Jiangbei Province's leaders coming, not Handong's!

Outside the cordon at the expressway exit.

More than a dozen black sedans stood in two rows.

The members of Jiangcheng's Municipal Government leadership stood ramrod straight, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.

Li Dakang adjusted his tie for the third time and spotted the motorcade in the distance—

The Coaster led the way, with five Red Flag Limousines close behind.

The "Han A00001" on the license plate glared in the sunlight, almost too dazzling to look at.

The moment the motorcade stopped, Li Dakang hurried over. Bowing and smiling, he reached the Red Flag Limousine bearing plate 00001 and slowly opened its door.

Thud!

The man in the back seat slowly raised his eyes.

He wore a Zhongshan Suit, and his hair was graying.

The lines around his eyes spoke of years of experience. When his gaze swept over them, an invisible pressure made it hard to breathe.

Sha Zhenjiang!

The man who ruled Handong Province!

He had governed Handong for ten years, turning it from a lagging province into an economic powerhouse and driving its GDP into the nation's top five.

If an official of his stature stamped his foot, all of Jiangcheng would shake!

"Secretary Sha! Why did you come so suddenly? If you'd told me in advance, I could have arranged a welcome!"

Li Dakang bowed and smiled, his voice deliberately ingratiating.

Sha Zhenjiang remained seated. "Today is a special day," he said evenly.

"A special day?"

Li Dakang froze and searched his memory. Today wasn't any major anniversary.

"We've come to Jiangcheng to visit someone we owe a great deal to!"

Sha Zhenjiang did not raise his voice, but his words struck everyone present like a thunderclap!