Chapter 1374
The Supervisor's Secrets Are Exposed!
"boom--!"
These words, transmitted through the radio waves, were like a bolt from the blue for He Wenbin! A deathly silence fell on the other end of the line; even breathing seemed to cease. A full five seconds passed before He Wenbin's voice returned, but it was completely different. His previous official tone and arrogance were gone, replaced only by undisguised shock, panic, and a barely suppressed tremor.
"Who...who are you?! What do you want?! What nonsense are you spouting?!"
He tried to reprimand him sternly, but the bluff in his voice was so obvious that even Zhou Shaokang in the cell could hear it.
Who I am is not important.
Luo Fei's tone remained calm, even somewhat nonchalant.
"The important thing is what I know. I'm currently in Xishan Detention Center, cell 206, surnamed Luo. I'm giving you one hour to come see me immediately."
Some things we should discuss face-to-face.
"No time wasters."
He didn't give He Wenbin a chance to bargain or ask for details. After saying these few words, which were like an ultimatum, he hung up the phone decisively and handed the phone back to the police officer who was still facing away from him outside the door.
"Thank you, I'm done."
Luo Fei said.
The police officer, as if relieved, quickly took the phone, stuffed it back into his pocket, as if it were a hot potato, said nothing, and hurriedly left the cell door, forgetting even to continue his routine patrol.
The cell was deathly silent.
Zhou Shaokang stared wide-eyed at Luo Fei, as if he were looking at a monster.
Although he didn't hear exactly what He Wenbin said on the other end of the phone, he could already imagine how terrified He Wenbin must have been when he received the call, based on Luo Fei's direct and incisive words!
How could Luo Fei know so many secrets in such detail? He even knew the rumors about the mayor's youngest son... And his last words, "Come see me in an hour," were full of undeniable control.
At this moment, Zhou Shaokang's last doubts about Luo Fei's identity as a "national security police officer" vanished, replaced by an indescribable shock and a blazing flame of hope—this person might really be able to create a miracle!
After returning the phone, Luo Fei acted as if it were a trivial matter. He went back to his bunk, sat down, closed his eyes again, and began to rest, as if he weren't the one who had scared the dignified director of the Education Bureau half to death with just a phone call. Only the lingering, cold smile at the corner of his mouth hinted that his heart was not entirely unmoved.
Time ticked by. No one spoke in the cell, not even daring to breathe loudly. The atmosphere was heavy and eerie as everyone waited to see if that incredible phone call could truly summon a bureau chief.
Zhou Shaokang was extremely restless, glancing between the iron gate and Luo Fei, who was resting with his eyes closed, his palms sweating profusely.
Less than forty minutes later, a series of slightly hurried footsteps and a surprised yet polite greeting from the correctional officers came from the corridor outside the cell.
"Director He? Why did you come in person? This way, please... 206, right? Does Chief Wang know you're here?"
Upon hearing the title "Director He," Zhou Shaokang felt a sudden jolt, as if his blood had rushed to his head!
He really came! He Wenbin really arrived within an hour! Extreme fear and deep-seated hatred overwhelmed him at the same time, causing him to involuntarily curl up and hide in the corner, as if trying to conceal himself.
Luo Fei opened his eyes at this moment, his gaze clear and bright, showing no signs of sleepiness.
He calmly stood up, straightened his wrinkled prison uniform, and said to the door.
"Report, Luo Fei from 206, someone is meeting with you."
The iron gate was quickly opened, and a guard gave Luo Fei a complicated look and said.
"Luo Fei, come out."
Someone came to visit.
Luo Fei walked steadily out of the cell, and even cast a reassuring glance at Zhou Shaokang, who was slumped in the corner with a pale face, as he passed the door. Then he followed the guard towards the visiting room, which was used for lawyers or special personnel to meet with.
In the office of Wang Qiang, the director of the detention center, a tense and uneasy atmosphere was permeating the air.
Wang Qiang sat behind his desk, his brows furrowed, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the surface.
He had just received a report that Zhou Shaokang had been transferred to another cell and, when questioned, refused to say a word, remaining silent.
This is not normal.
Wang Qiang instructed his men to threaten Zhou Shaokang again with his elderly mother and daughter, which barely managed to silence him temporarily. However, Wang Qiang knew very well that Zhou Shaokang, this "bomb," had not been truly defused; he had only temporarily covered the fuse.
All these changes stemmed from Luo Fei.
"Damn it, what kind of person is this Luo Fei?"
Wang Qiang cursed under his breath. Xue Debiao didn't give any useful feedback, only saying that Luo Fei was wicked and not to be trifled with.
He had originally hoped that Zhou Shaokang, a dying man, could cause some "accident" in the cell, crippling or killing Luo Fei and ending the matter once and for all. Unexpectedly, the plan was thwarted at the very beginning. Now, Luo Fei is still safely in cell 206, but Zhou Shaokang has escaped his control.
Wang Qiang felt an anxiety that things were spiraling out of control, especially when he thought about Luo Fei's cryptic remarks and the strange blank in his memory...
Just as he was racking his brains trying to figure out what other ways he could deal with Luo Fei, or at least find out his background, there was a knock on the office door.
A subordinate pushed open the door and came in to report.
"Director Wang, Director He Wenbin from the Education Bureau has arrived. He says he has urgent business and wants to see a detainee."
"He Wenbin?"
Wang Qiang was taken aback.
Who does he want to see?
He Wenbin knew him, but their relationship was not deep; they were just nodding acquaintances in official circles.
Why would he suddenly come to the detention center to see someone?
"He said he wanted to see... Luo Fei from cell 206."
His subordinates also had some strange expressions.
"Luo Fei?!"
Wang Qiang suddenly stood up, his eyes wide open.
He Wenbin wants to see Luo Fei? How could these two seemingly unrelated people be connected? One is an education bureau chief, and the other is a suspect in custody accused of intentional assault? This is too unusual! Could Luo Fei's background really involve He Wenbin's level? Countless questions and speculations flooded Wang Qiang's mind, leaving him in a state of utter confusion.
Where is Director He?
Wang Qiang forced himself to calm down and asked, "They've already gone to the visiting room. They seem to be in a hurry."
The subordinate replied.
Wang Qiang's expression shifted between light and dark.
He Wenbin is a powerful bureau chief in the city. Given his status, it's clear that he has a reason for wanting to meet with her. I can't refuse him outright, either because it's polite or not, otherwise I would be disrespecting him and offending him for no reason.
Moreover, he also wanted to take this opportunity to observe what was really going on between He Wenbin and Luo Fei.
"I see."
Wang Qiang waved.
"Arrange for them to meet according to regulations, and keep them under surveillance. I... I'll go over and say hello later."
He decided not to go yet, so as not to seem too deliberate, but he was determined to get a sense of the situation from the meeting.
In a specially designed visiting room separated by thick, explosion-proof glass, Luo Fei was already seated in a fixed chair on one side, his hands restrained. On the other side of the glass wall, He Wenbin sat somewhat uneasily opposite him.
He was indeed a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and looking refined and scholarly—a typical official.
But at this moment, his face was a little pale, and there seemed to be fine beads of sweat on his forehead. Although he tried his best to remain calm, the way he kept adjusting his glasses and his shifty eyes betrayed his inner tension and anxiety.
He first carefully examined Luo Fei behind the glass wall, seemingly trying to confirm the young man's identity, his eyes filled with doubt, scrutiny, and deep apprehension.
Luo Fei calmly returned his gaze, his eyes open and even carrying a hint of scrutiny, like examining an object.
The intercom between the two was already open.
He Wenbin took a deep breath and spoke first, his voice low and coming through the communicator, filled with undisguised annoyance and urgency.
"You're Luo Fei? The one from the phone? Who are you? What do you want?!"
He fired off a barrage of questions, clearly flustered by the phone call.
Luo Fei did not answer the first two questions, but simply nodded slightly to confirm the other party's identity.
"Director He Wenbin. We don't have much time, let's get straight to the point."
His voice came through the intercom, steady and clear.
“I know about your affairs, and not just what I mentioned on the phone. The kickbacks you’ve made over the years while in charge of the city’s education bureau’s infrastructure, procurement, and textbook approval; the special education funds you’ve embezzled through front companies; those shell companies under your wife’s name that suddenly appeared and took on school projects… Although these accounts are kept secret, if you really investigate them one by one, they’re probably not without clues.”
He Wenbin's face instantly turned even more ashen, and his lips trembled slightly. What Luo Fei said, while not as explosively destructive as "an affair with the mayor's wife," was a real economic issue that could cost him his job and even land him in jail!
Just how much does this person actually know?!
"You...you're trying to blackmail me?"
He Wenbin squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, his eyes turning fierce, but deep down he was filled with more panic.
If it's just about money, then maybe there's still room for negotiation.
Luo Fei shook his head, a slightly mocking smile curving his lips.
"Money? I have no interest in money."
At least, I'm not interested in your money.
He Wenbin was stunned.
"Then what do you want?"
Luo Fei leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on He Wenbin's eyes through the glass wall, speaking slowly and deliberately.
I'm interested in secrets.
Especially for someone in your position, who possesses even more significant secrets about other people.
He paused, allowing He Wenbin to process the meaning of his words, before continuing to state his conditions.
"Secrets for secrets. Tell me... things that are worth keeping your secrets. For example, besides you, who else is in cahoots with you, and in what matters? What shady dealings do you two have together? Or, do you know anything explosive enough about other high-ranking people? As long as the 'information' you provide is valuable and satisfies me, I can pretend I don't know about your affairs and financial problems. Otherwise..."
Luo Fei didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken threat was more powerful than any concrete words.
Upon hearing this, He Wenbin felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and his face turned ashen.
He originally thought the other party was extorting money or using personal relationships to blackmail him into doing things, but he never expected that what the other party wanted was this!
This is meant to make him betray his colleagues, betray that potential network of interests, and act as an informant and the knife that tears open the cracks!
This is far more terrifying and dangerous than simple extortion! Providing secrets? To whom? How? How much? Once this door is opened, the consequences are unimaginable. It could trigger a chain reaction, dragging many people down with it. At that point, not only him, but many others might not let him off the hook!
However, if he didn't agree... this mysterious young man before him seemed to truly possess crucial information that could kill him. Once the affair scandal was exposed, Mayor Chen would be furious, and he would be utterly annihilated. His economic problems would also be unearthed, leading to multiple charges... another dead end.
To agree is to face betrayal and immense unknown risks; to refuse is to face immediate and foreseeable destruction.
He Wenbin sat stiffly in the visiting chair, cold sweat finally pouring down his forehead and soaking his temples.
His hands were clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his mind caught in an unprecedented, agonizing internal struggle and extreme panic. Inside and outside the glass wall, there was only an oppressive silence and He Wenbin's uncontrollable, heavy, and trembling breathing.
The thick, explosion-proof glass walls divide the visiting room into two completely different worlds.
On one side sat Luo Fei, his hands restrained, yet his posture relaxed and his expression calm; on the other side stood He Wenbin, the Education Bureau Director, impeccably dressed and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, his face pale, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, his breathing unsteady from the intense inner turmoil. The echoes of Luo Fei's calm yet powerful words seemed to linger in the communicator—"Exchange secrets for secrets."
He Wenbin's mind was racing, yet also swirling with confusion. He simply couldn't understand why someone imprisoned in a place like the Xishan Detention Center would be so eager to uncover the shady secrets of officialdom. What benefit would it bring him? What was he after? Could it be... that someone from a higher level was sent to investigate? But what kind of investigation is this? This is utterly illogical!
After a long pause, He Wenbin managed to organize his thoughts, his voice dry and strained, filled with uncertainty and incomprehension.
"Why...why do you have to ask these questions? What does this have to do with you? What good would it do you, someone in here, to know?"
He was trying to find logical flaws in Luo Fei's behavior, or rather, to give himself some time to delay and think.
Luo Fei looked at him through the glass, his eyes carrying an almost indifferent casualness, as if he were talking about the weather.
"Personal interest. Or rather, I enjoy collecting specific information." (End of Chapter)