Chapter 128: A Horrifying Sight!

"Younger Brother Yang, you were a bit too reckless just now."

Lu Yanqing patted Yang Dong on the shoulder as they stepped out of Room 101. His expression was complex. Yang Dong’s interrogation had been extremely risky, bordering on coercive, which could easily be used against him if there were an internal review. It wasn't worth jeopardizing his own career for the sake of an absolute truth. Matters of faith and divine intervention were not proper subjects for such an interrogation.

Still, Lu couldn't be too harsh. Yang Dong had previously served as a secretary in the municipal office and was unfamiliar with the standard protocols of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, relying instead on his own innate talent and keen instincts.

"Brother Lu, I know I was reckless, but I just felt a fire burning inside me—a sense of injustice," Yang Dong replied. "How could a director of the Education Bureau, a department-level official, embezzle over twenty million yuan all by himself? And could a deputy secretary-general of the municipal government cover up his son’s murder case single-handedly? Isn't there involvement from higher-ranking leadership? And can a mere deputy director of the Organization Department, in collusion with a minor section chief, really pull this off for over three years without exposure? Isn't that suspicious?"

During his time with the municipal investigative team, Yang Dong had worked on several cases, but they all seemed to stall at the department level. He hadn't even managed to touch a deputy bureau-level official, which was highly irregular. The Gu Santong embezzlement case, for instance, definitely involved deputy or even full bureau-level leadership. Yet, for now, he couldn't prove it.

Because of his experiences in a previous life, Yang Dong knew exactly who was involved, but his inability to produce evidence through standard channels left him deeply frustrated. Knowing the truth and proving it were two entirely different things. Take Tian Guanghan and Gu Santong—both were linked to a businessman named Wu Jiancai, the chairman of an industrial construction materials company. Wu was a local figure who had made his fortune in real estate and construction, known for his ties to organized crime while simultaneously navigating the political landscape of Lingyun City. He could reach the Municipal Party Secretary and the Mayor, as well as various mid-level unit leaders and minor section chiefs. To claim there were no ulterior motives involved was impossible to believe.

But the timing wasn't right. He would have to wait—four or five more years, when the anti-corruption movement became normalized, would give him the "imperial sword" he needed. That was assuming, of course, that he remained within the discipline inspection system by then.

"Younger Brother Yang, I understand your feelings; I really do," Lu Yanqing said with a smile. "When I first started at the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, I was full of righteous indignation, too. I thought I could root out corruption entirely. But that was naive. You have to learn the methods."

He continued with an analogy: "If it’s pouring rain outside and someone is waiting for an umbrella, do you equip yourself with a raincoat first, or do you rush out without a thought for the consequences? Even if you get the umbrella to them, you end up soaked and falling ill. Is that approach worth encouraging?"

Yang Dong knew the logic, but when a person is stubborn, it is hard to turn back. Still, he understood this was part of the growth process. "Thank you for the guidance, Brother Lu." He realized that to accomplish more, he first had to protect himself.

The Zhao Pengcheng case would likely be limited to Zhao and Lin Liangming. The remaining work would involve weeding out the "sick" cadres—those who had paid for promotions or been dragged down by Zhao and Lin. But if a tree is diseased, what is the point of only pruning the branches?

"Regardless, I want to thank you for your help, Comrade Yang Dong. Our First Task Force is very grateful to you and the members of the Tenth Task Force," Lu said, extending his hand formally. "If you ever need fire support, our First Team will definitely be there."

"You're too kind, Team Leader Lu," Yang Dong replied, shaking his hand. "We are all brothers in the same trenches."

With that, the Tenth Task Force’s involvement in the Zhao case concluded. Over the next four days, the First Task Force focused their efforts on Lin Liangming. Faced with the evidence and Zhao’s confession, Lin eventually broke. His testimony largely mirrored Zhao’s, though he was more forthcoming with a list of cadres who had offered them bribes over the years.

Lu Yanqing reported this extensive list to his superiors immediately. Once the Tenth Task Force had withdrawn, the First Task Force handled the follow-up work to ensure they didn't overshadow the primary team. Liu Shan received the list and passed it to the executive deputy team leader, Su Tongzhou.

Su Tongzhou looked at the document and felt his head spin. It implicated 112 problematic cadres across the city and its districts—39 from municipal units, and dozens more from Kaiyang, Jieyang, Qinghe, and Longwu counties.

"There's no other way," Su sighed. "We have to report this to Secretary Guan and Secretary Wei."