Chapter 1387
Gambling Debts Uncover a Protective Umbrella
"Who...who are you?! How do you know all this?!"
Chen Yunfei's voice was distorted and filled with extreme fear.
"You've known who I am from the very beginning."
Luo Fei replied calmly.
"As for how I know... If you don't want others to know, then don't do it in the first place. Do you think that by covering up the accounts and silencing a few people who know the truth, you can cover it up perfectly? In front of the national security department, your supposedly secretive schemes are full of loopholes."
"Yunfei!"
Is what he said... true?!
As Zhong Baoyu listened, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and his heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an icy hand.
Chen Yunfei was someone he had personally promoted from the grassroots level. He was once a capable and daring fighter. He simply couldn't believe that his apprentice, whom he regarded as a son or nephew, had such a connection with the Xue family behind the scenes, and was involved in such a huge amount of gambling debts and power-money transactions!
When Chen Yunfei heard Zhong Baoyu's question, which was filled with heartache, disappointment, and the last glimmer of hope, his last bit of wishful thinking vanished.
Unable to withstand the immense pressure any longer, he slid off the chair, knelt down in front of Zhong Baoyu, hugged Zhong Baoyu's legs with both hands, and burst into tears.
"Director! Director Zhong! I was wrong! I was bewitched! I'm not human! It's...it's Xue Shihao!"
He took me to Macau... At first, it was just for fun, but I got more and more involved... I lost everything and owed him a lot of money... I couldn't pay him back, so he forced me... forced me to do things for him! Those guys at the noodle shop... were Xue Shih-hao's men!
That day they called me, saying they'd run into some tough guys, lost manpower, and told me I had to make sure the case was airtight and get him arrested… I… when I looked at the report, it was just some greenhorn from out of town, so I thought… I thought I could get it done quickly, both to repay Xue Shihao's favor and to show off my abilities to him… I didn't expect… I really didn't know he was Director Luo! If I had known he was from the Ministry of State Security, I wouldn't have dared to do it even if you gave me a million lives! Director! Please save me! For the sake of all these years I've followed you, please save me!”
Chen Yunfei's utterly broken-down sobs and confessions revealed all the dirty deals. The conference room fell into a deathly silence, broken only by his heart-wrenching cries.
All the cadres present were dumbfounded. Although they had a premonition that Chen Yunfei might have problems, they never expected the problems to be so serious, so deeply involved, and so egregious in nature!
A deputy director of a municipal public security bureau, due to gambling debts, became a henchman and accomplice of local tyrants and even used state power to frame innocent citizens!
This is not just dereliction of duty, but a serious criminal offense! At the same time, everyone's gaze towards Luo Fei was filled with a deeper level of awe and reverence—this young Director Luo not only had a powerful background, but his unfathomable insight and intelligence-gathering ability were also chilling.
Zhong Baoyu closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, there was no warmth left in his eyes, only a cold determination and deep exhaustion.
He slowly, but with great determination, pulled his legs out of Chen Yunfei's embrace.
This action seemed to have robbed Chen Yunfei of his last hope.
"Chen Yunfei".
Zhong Baoyu's voice was somber and cold.
“You have disappointed me greatly. You have failed your police uniform, the organization’s training, and the power entrusted to you by the people.”
From this moment forward, you are suspended from all duties.
He turned his head and sternly addressed the equally shocked head of the municipal bureau's discipline inspection team and the chief inspector.
"Immediately place Chen Yunfei under criminal detention! Thoroughly investigate all his violations of discipline and law! Notify the procuratorate to intervene in advance!"
"Yes!"
The head of the discipline inspection team and the chief inspector immediately responded and stepped forward with two police officers who were already waiting.
The handcuffs were gleaming and cold.
With a crisp "click," the wrist of Chen Yunfei—the former deputy director who was once considered a prominent figure in the Dongguan police force—was locked.
Chen Yunfei stopped struggling and crying out. He was simply lifted off the ground by two police officers, his face ashen and his eyes vacant, like a soulless shell. He was staggered away from the meeting room where he had chaired countless meetings and given orders.
His political life came to an abrupt end at this moment.
Soon, the police officers who had been sent to search Chen Yunfei's office returned with body cameras and evidence bags.
In front of everyone, he took out a hard drive wrapped in an anti-static bag from a very well-hidden modified compartment under the base of the black leather sofa.
The police officers from the technical department immediately connected the equipment and played the extracted surveillance video on the large screen in the conference room.
The image is clear and the angle is complete.
From the moment a group of young, blond-haired thugs entered the noodle shop and began harassing the female employee, to Luo Fei's intervention and subsequent verbal altercation, and then to the thugs' physical attack, Luo Fei remained on the defensive, offering only limited retaliation. Each of his actions was a clean and decisive counterattack against the ongoing illegal infringement, without any unnecessary or excessive movements. The video also recorded the thugs' arrogant insults and threats, as well as the female employee's terrified cries and pleas for help. The truth is now clear.
The evidence was irrefutable! Luo Fei's charge of "intentional injury" was completely cleared. All of Chen Yunfei's previous lies, sophistry, and attempts to distort the facts appeared utterly ridiculous and despicable in the face of this original video recording. A sigh of relief mixed with righteous indignation filled the conference room.
"Director Luo, you've been wronged! On behalf of the Dongguan Public Security Bureau, I extend my sincerest apologies to you!"
Zhong Baoyu gave Luo Fei a solemn salute, his face full of guilt and self-reproach.
“It is because of such a scoundrel in our team that you have suffered such an injustice and experienced such a dangerous ordeal! There are serious problems with our internal management and team building, and I bear an unshirkable leadership responsibility! I will submit a profound self-criticism to the higher-level Party committee!”
Luo Fei returned the greeting, his tone much gentler.
"Director Zhong, you flatter us. Corruption exists everywhere; the important thing is to discover it in time and eliminate it resolutely."
This incident also gave me a more direct understanding of the complexity and urgency of the cleanup work following the Zhu Dafa case in Dongguan.
Chen Yunfei is not an isolated case; his collusion with Xue Shihao is likely just the tip of the iceberg.
Zhong Baoyu nodded heavily.
"I understand. Director Luo, the Municipal Bureau will fully cooperate with any further investigative needs you may have, and we will ensure that there are no further mishaps!"
He then made the announcement.
"The joint task force established due to Director Luo Fei's 'disappearance' is now officially disbanded! All police officers involved in the search are to immediately return to their posts and be given a rest period!"
After the meeting, Luo Fei finally reunited with his team members from the special case team, who had rushed over after hearing the news and had been anxiously waiting for several days.
Seeing that the bureau chief was safe and sound, and although he looked a little tired, he was in good spirits, Chen Yifan, Captain Lin and the others breathed a sigh of relief and showed genuine smiles on their faces.
"Boss, you're finally out!"
Chen Yifan stepped forward and squeezed Luo Fei's hand tightly, his eyes a little red.
"We've been so worried these past few days, but we didn't dare to make a big fuss about it, for fear of affecting your plans."
"I'm fine, I'm sorry to have worried everyone."
Luo Fei patted him on the shoulder and nodded to the other group members who had gathered around.
"I went in for a look around, saw the scenery, and then got a feel for the place. It was quite lively inside."
Captain Lin was still shaken.
"We later received vague intelligence from the ministry saying you might be illegally detained, with the location pointed to Xishan. We were just preparing to take action at all costs when we received a call from Director Zhong saying you had appeared. It was really close." After a brief exchange, Chen Yifan seemed to suddenly remember something and lowered his voice to remind them.
"By the way, boss, you need to let Sister Xuanran know you're safe as soon as possible. We were afraid she'd worry while you were 'out of contact' these past few days, and we didn't dare tell her the truth, so we had to lie and say you were on an urgent, secret, silent communication mission and couldn't be contacted for the time being."
Although she didn't ask many questions, she was definitely worried the whole time.
Upon hearing this, Luo Fei immediately thought of Chen Xuanran, and a sense of guilt and warmth welled up in his heart.
He nodded, walked to a relatively quiet corner, took out his phone, and dialed that familiar number.
The call was quickly answered, and Chen Xuanran's clear voice, tinged with a barely perceptible tension, came through.
"Hello? Fei Zi?"
"Xuanran, it's me."
Luo Fei's voice softened unconsciously.
"The mission is over, everything is going smoothly on my end, I just finished dealing with it."
I was unable to contact you due to unforeseen circumstances, and I apologize for causing you worry.
Upon hearing Luo Fei's familiar and steady voice, Chen Xuanran on the other end of the phone visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and his tone became lighter.
"I'm glad you're alright."
You always do this, disappearing without a trace as soon as there's a task. Alright, I know you're busy, just be safe. Take care of yourself and eat on time.
The few simple words exchanged were filled with unspoken understanding and concern. After hanging up the phone, Luo Fei felt much more at ease.
That evening, to ease the team's tension after days of work and to celebrate his safe return, Luo Fei treated all members of the special case team to dinner at a nice restaurant in the city. No work was discussed during the meal; it was just a simple gathering and casual conversation in a relaxed atmosphere.
After three consecutive days in the detention center, where he had to concentrate intensely, even with Luo Fei's physical strength and willpower, he felt deeply exhausted.
Instead of returning to the guesthouse arranged by the municipal bureau, he found a hotel with better security near the police station to stay in.
He entered the room, closed the door, and shut himself out of the outside world. Luo Fei let out a long breath.
Having not properly washed and groomed for three days, I still seemed to carry the distinctive stench of the detention center.
He took off his clothes, went into the bathroom, and let the warm water wash over his body, as if washing away the strangeness, darkness, and dust of the past few days. After washing up and changing into clean pajamas, exhaustion washed over him like a tide.
He lay down on the soft, comfortable bed, and almost the instant his head touched the pillow, his heavy eyelids closed, and his consciousness quickly sank into darkness. He needed a deep, dreamless sleep to restore his energy.
However, the tree wants to be quiet but the wind keeps on.
Shortly after Luo Fei drifted off to sleep, in a VIP ward at the most upscale private hospital in Dongguan, a room comparable to a five-star hotel suite, Xue Shihao, his arm in a heavy cast and bruises still visible on his face, lay half-reclined on the bed, watching television with a restless mood. Suddenly, his personal cell phone vibrated urgently. The caller ID showed a number he didn't want to answer but dared not ignore—Bao Xiaochun, the director of the Xijiang District Public Security Bureau.
Xue Shih-hao frowned, gestured to the bodyguard next to him to turn down the TV volume, and answered the phone, his tone impatient.
"Hello? Director Bao, what's the matter so late?"
On the other end of the phone, Bao Xiaochun's voice was extremely low, yet it revealed an undisguised panic and urgency.
"Boss Xue! Something terrible has happened! The sky has fallen!"
Xue Shih-hao's heart skipped a beat, and he sat up straight.
"What's the rush! Speak slowly, what's wrong?"
"Chen Yunfei! Deputy Director Chen! He was arrested on the spot at the Municipal Bureau meeting this afternoon! He was taken away in handcuffs!"
Bao Xiaochun's voice was trembling.
"what?!"
Xue Shih-hao was startled, but quickly regained his composure.
"Is he...is he having financial problems? Or is it something else? What does this have to do with us..."
"It has a huge connection to us!"
Bao Xiaochun interrupted him, her voice growing increasingly terrified.
"The person who arrested him is... the same person who injured your man at the noodle shop that day!"
"That reckless brat?!"
Xue Shih-hao was taken aback at first, then roared angrily.
"Damn it, who is that kid? How could he take down Chen Yunfei? Chen Yunfei is the deputy director!"
"What good is a deputy director!"
Bao Xiaochun was almost growling.
"Mr. Xue! Listen carefully!"
That person, he's not a hothead at all!
He's the director of the 18th Bureau of the Special Security Bureau of the Ministry of State Security! His surname is Luo, and his name is Luo Fei! He's a legitimate leader within the ministry, specifically here to investigate the remaining influence of Zhu Dafa's case!
"The...the Director of the National Security Bureau?!"
Xue Shih-hao was struck dumb, his phone nearly slipping from his hand. He felt as if ice water had been poured over him from head to toe, a chill instantly spreading through his limbs and bones.
He suddenly remembered that day at the noodle shop, the young man's calm yet sharp eyes, and his terrifying skills... So, that wasn't a brute, that was the King of Hell!
"That's not all!"
Bao Xiaochun continued to drop even more deadly bombs.
"I was there today! I saw it with my own eyes!"
This Director Luo is frighteningly young, but his methods are incredibly powerful!
He seemed to be able to read people's minds. Chen Yunfei had hidden crucial evidence under the sofa in his office—such a concealed place—and he pointed it out directly! Chen Yunfei was completely transparent to him! With just a few words, he exposed Chen Yunfei's relationship with you, even revealing the gambling debts in Macau! Chen Yunfei collapsed on the spot! Furthermore, the ministry and the provincial party committee were furious about his disappearance, and even Director Zhong was subservient to him!
This person is rumored to have powerful connections at the level of a high-ranking official! My dear Boss Xue, this time... this time we've really messed things up! You injured his two henchmen, and they're still in a vegetative state in the hospital. Chen Yunfei has also fallen. His next target will definitely be you! No, he'll be targeting the entire Xue family! (End of Chapter)