Ding Qiushan, who was now at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, had presumably already learned that the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection had sent people to investigate him.
Ding Qiushan certainly would not sit idle. He was bound to make a move.
And even if he lost in the end, he would fight to the death and retaliate against Lin Chao Ci's father.
They had such a strong hand—two bombs and a pair of jokers—and they still managed to play it this badly!
No. I have to deal with Ding Qiushan before he takes everyone down with him!
Lin Chao Ci did not want history to repeat itself. In his previous life, investigators had uncovered extensive evidence of Ding Qiushan's crimes, and Ding Qiushan had known he was doomed.
He had chosen to fight to the death, killing everyone sent by the higher authorities to investigate him.
His father had been implicated and punished as well.
There had been no helping it. The incident had become too big.
Even the province's highest-ranking officials had been dragged into it. Some had faced disciplinary action, while others had been forced into retirement.
Lin Chao Ci frowned slightly, his mind racing as he searched for a solution.
Got it. This is the only way!
Lin Chao Ci had thought of a method that was risky and a little underhanded.
But it was the most suitable option available.
Lin Chao Ci ordered Qiangzi to make over a hundred copies of the evidence they had kept earlier and mail one to each of the provincial and municipal leaders.
He had two objectives.
1. Tell the powerful officials Ding Qiushan was threatening that the manila envelopes contained no evidence against them. They need not fear being implicated, and they need not concern themselves with Ding Qiushan.
2. Tell the entire province and city that Ding Qiushan's crimes were heinous and the evidence conclusive. His days were numbered. Who would still dare help him or speak on his behalf?
This would leave Ding Qiushan isolated, with no one daring to help him.
As long as the provincial and municipal leaders had any sense, they would know what to do next.
"Understood..."
After receiving his orders, Qiangzi immediately got to work.
Meanwhile, inside the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection.
In a luxurious presidential suite, Ding Qiushan was enjoying a massage from a beautiful young woman, with fine wines and delicious food laid out beside him. Without being told, who could have guessed he was under investigation by the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection?
Beep, beep, beep!
"Come in..."
A knock sounded at the door.
The director of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection's First Division entered cautiously, his head lowered.
"What is it?"
Ding Qiushan asked casually, his eyes half-closed, looking utterly unconcerned.
"Mayor, please have her leave first."
The director knew what he was about to say was too important for a third person to hear.
"Oh? Leave us for now."
From the director's tone, Ding Qiushan knew it was probably something serious.
His expression darkened, and he shot the young woman massaging him a look, signaling her to leave.
The young woman dared not say another word and hurried out.
Only after the director shut the door, leaving the two of them alone, did he speak. "The investigation team sent by the higher authorities is here for you!"
Ding Qiushan froze for a moment at those words, then his expression turned exceedingly ugly.
He could not have climbed to his position without intelligence. A moment's thought was enough for him to understand.
"Fuck! Lin Jianguo, you sneaky bastard! You brought me to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection out in the open so I'd let my guard down, while secretly getting the higher authorities to send people... Fine, fine, fine! What a fucking scheme..."
Ding Qiushan slammed a hand on the table in fury, cursing every relative Lin Jianguo had.
"Whew... What's the situation now? What has the investigation team found? When did they arrive?"
After cursing for quite some time, Ding Qiushan finally calmed down and immediately asked about the investigation team.
"According to the flight records, the investigation team arrived this morning. They've only just sent people out to investigate, so they probably don't have any conclusive evidence yet!"
The director delivered his report cautiously.
"They've only been here a few hours? Good, good! Whew... Speak to the commission secretary. I want to leave immediately!"
Ding Qiushan breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they had only just arrived. There was still time.
He no longer wanted to stay at the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and intended to leave at once.
"All right!"
The director nodded and withdrew with a slight bow.
Ding Qiushan picked up his phone from the coffee table. When he switched it on, he saw dozens of messages from his secretary and deputy.
He had been busy with "important business" earlier. At his age, an interruption could easily cause... so he had turned his phone off.
He had not expected to miss several messages while it was off.
Ding Qiushan immediately called his secretary and deputy back, one after the other, assigning them tasks.
He told his secretary to prepare gifts and pay the investigation team a visit.
He told his deputy to investigate Lin Jianguo. Ding Qiushan was preparing to strike again.
He arranged everything in an orderly fashion.
Ding Qiushan even had time to chat with several of his mistresses.
Meanwhile, the First Division director arrived outside the deputy secretary's office and opened the door only after receiving permission.
"Secretary, Ding Qiushan wants to leave today..."
The director gave a full, detailed account of the situation.
"All right. Handle the paperwork on your end, and I'll sign it here. Cite insufficient evidence..."
The deputy secretary nodded and agreed without hesitation.
"Understood!"
The First Division director nodded and left.
Once his subordinate had gone and he was alone in the office, the deputy secretary took off his glasses and rubbed his throbbing temples, filled with regret and helplessness.
Back then, his mother had suddenly fallen ill. His salary had been low, and his family truly had no money.
Ding Qiushan had come to his door and handed him five hundred thousand.
Over five hundred thousand back in 1980...
For his mother's sake, he had had no choice but to accept it.
Who could have imagined that the crafty Ding Qiushan had even recorded it...
Now he was being blackmailed and had no choice but to help Ding Qiushan.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Secretary, the comrades from the investigation team have sent you some documents. They said you should read them personally!"
Just then, a knock came at the door, followed by his secretary's voice.
"Come in..."
Although puzzled, the deputy secretary still let his secretary enter.
Why would the investigation team send me documents?
I don't even know them. I have nothing to do with them...
Although he did not understand the reason, there was no harm in taking a look.
His secretary placed a manila envelope in front of him, then left.
The deputy secretary opened the envelope, glanced at the information inside, and froze.
"This... This is all evidence of Ding Qiushan's crimes! Good lord... Is the investigation team really this capable? Didn't they supposedly just arrive? They've already uncovered this much evidence?"
The manila envelope was filled with evidence of Ding Qiushan's crimes, and every piece was irrefutable.
The deputy secretary had not expected the investigation team to be so capable!
"Hm? Why is there a note tucked in with the evidence?"
The deputy secretary looked through the contents and found a note. After reading it, he paused briefly, then relaxed and let out a relieved breath with a smile.
The note read, "This evidence was recovered from Ding Qiushan's home. It covers all his recent bribery transactions. No evidence of bribery transactions involving anyone else was found..."
The meaning was clear. The people named in the manila envelope were the full list. If someone was not in the envelope, there was no evidence against them. It did not exist.
Clearly, the deputy secretary had found no evidence of his own involvement in bribery.
The investigation team had let him off!
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