Chapter 35: A Step Too Late!

Yang Dong listened to Yin Tiejun’s words and immediately nodded with a smile. “I understand now. Xu Yuncai is nothing but a handful of sand.”

“Hahaha, that’s not wrong,” Yin Tiejun replied, recognizing the mockery in Yang Dong’s tone and chuckling along. But the very next moment, his expression turned serious. “We can’t afford any slip-ups. Xu Yuncai wants to see me dead, but Secretary Wu Xinkai of the municipal committee will never let me get away easily, either.”

“If he wants to mix sand into the city government, he has to topple me first.”

Yang Dong understood the gravity of the current situation. It was still rather severe. However, since Mayor Hou Yong held the advantage in the city, it wouldn’t be easy for Wu Xinkai to stir up too much trouble.

“Secretary-General, won’t the mayor help you?” Yang Dong asked.

Yin Tiejun smiled. “Whether it’s the mayor or the party secretary, neither will get directly involved. At most, they’ll intervene only at a critical moment, striking like thunder.”

“So you don’t need to worry about what those big shots think. As long as you investigate my case thoroughly and lay out all the facts clearly before the standing committee, I believe the mayor won’t let anything happen to me.”

Yang Dong nodded, clarity settling in his mind. As long as he got to the bottom of Yin Tiejun’s case, when it came to the standing committee, Wu Xinkai would have no room to make waves.

The mayor’s supporters among the committee would never let him succeed.

But if Yin Tiejun’s ‘guilt’ was established, the mayor would be powerless to intervene—he couldn’t very well defend a ‘corrupt official’.

So it was a struggle, a battle fought within the bounds of the rules.

“You’d better head out now, before anyone starts to suspect,” Yin Tiejun said, having finished what needed to be said. He dismissed Yang Dong, knowing that lingering too long in this room would arouse suspicion.

“Secretary-General, I still need to interrogate you—please bear with me,” Yang Dong signaled to Yin Tiejun and then placed the law enforcement recorder on the table.

Yin Tiejun couldn’t help but smile. The young man was thorough.

There was no real interrogation—this was merely for show, to mislead outsiders.

He sat up straight and cooperated with Yang Dong’s questioning.

Ten minutes later, Yang Dong picked up the recorder and left.

Once outside Room 107, Yang Dong handed the recorder to Hou Donglai.

“These are the contents of Yin Tiejun’s interrogation. Keep them safe.”

“Yes, Leader.” Hou Donglai took the recorder quickly, smiling and nodding.

“Leader, what should we do about the housekeeper?” he asked, eager for instructions regarding the housekeeper’s situation. At this point, he wanted the case solved even more than Yang Dong did—if he earned credit for it, once his secondment ended and he returned to the city prosecutor’s office, he might be promoted.

“Donglai, you’re to guard Yin Tiejun here, just as before. No one is allowed inside.”

“I’ll go with Shuangquan to find the housekeeper.”

Comparing Hou Shuangquan and Hou Donglai, Yang Dong trusted Donglai more—after all, he held Donglai’s secrets, and Donglai wouldn’t dare mess around.

But Shuangquan, with his harmless smile and gentle demeanor, had hidden thoughts Yang Dong could never quite read.

So the critical task of guarding Yin Tiejun couldn’t be entrusted to Shuangquan; Yang Dong wasn’t comfortable with that.

Keeping Shuangquan by his side was safest, and it also allowed him to test whether Shuangquan was an undercover agent for the other faction.

“Leader, I’ll follow your orders,” Hou Donglai stood up straight, nodding to Yang Dong.

Hou Shuangquan said nothing more, rising to follow Yang Dong out.

This time, Yang Dong drove, with Shuangquan in the passenger seat.

“Shuangquan, do you think our group can get to the bottom of Yin Tiejun’s case?” Yang Dong asked casually as he drove.

“With you leading us, Leader, we’ll definitely solve the case,” Shuangquan replied with a cheerful smile.

“You trust me that much?” Yang Dong kept smiling as he pressed further.

“Though we haven’t worked together long, I can already see your capability,” Shuangquan responded, nodding.

Yang Dong continued, “We’re going to find the key figure in Yin Tiejun’s case—the housekeeper.”

Shuangquan’s expression shifted, then he asked in confusion, “Leader, isn’t the housekeeper said to be missing?”

“Oh? Who told you that?” Yang Dong raised an eyebrow, curious.

Hou Donglai had said the same thing earlier—‘I heard, I heard.’ But from whom?

“Everyone’s saying it. With Secretary Yin’s case causing such a stir, people are talking about it everywhere, and everyone’s curious,” Shuangquan explained calmly, his real thoughts unreadable.

Yang Dong nodded, sighing, “Yes, the case has had a huge impact.”

“But I know where the housekeeper is,” Yang Dong said confidently.

Shuangquan’s face brightened instantly. “Leader, that’s a great achievement! If we find the housekeeper, our Tenth Group will surely be praised by the city disciplinary committee.”

“The housekeeper’s older sister lives in Dongji Village. She knows the housekeeper’s whereabouts—we’re going to find her.”

“Dongji Village is less than thirty kilometers from the city, so it’s pretty close,” Yang Dong concluded, accelerating onto the country road toward Dongji Village.

Shuangquan said nothing more, gazing out the window at the bleak scenery: early March in the Northeast, melting snow, black earth, and bare tree trunks.

“I can’t hold it anymore—need to take a leak,” Yang Dong said, pulling over and stepping out to relieve himself.

Two minutes later, he returned, pulled up his trousers, and continued driving, while Shuangquan remained silent, still gazing out.

Yang Dong focused ahead as he drove straight to Dongji Village.

Though it was called a country road, it was neither paved nor concrete—just hard-packed earth, limiting their speed.

An hour later, Yang Dong parked in front of the Dongji Village committee office.

“Who are you looking for?” An elderly man, clearing snow from the yard, asked with surprise as the Jetta stopped.

“Sir, we’re investigators from the Lingyun City disciplinary committee,” Yang Dong said, showing his credentials.

“Oh, city officials!” the old man exclaimed.

He immediately put down his shovel and broom, wiped his hands, and warmly offered his hand.

“Welcome, leaders! I’m Wang Jianguo, the village chief of Dongji Village,” he greeted Yang Dong and Shuangquan.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Wang Jianguo was puzzled—why would the city disciplinary committee come to the village?

Still, he’d always been honest and upright, never corrupt, so he had no fear and stood tall.

Unless they were here for the party branch secretary.

But if they were going to arrest the branch secretary, the town committee would suffice—no need for the city disciplinary committee.

“Chief Wang, we’re here to look for Yin Xiumei. We have some questions,” Yang Dong explained.

Wang Jianguo frowned at the mention of Yin Xiumei. “Why are you looking for her? Did she do something wrong?”

“You misunderstand, Chief Wang. She’s done nothing wrong—we just have a few questions,” Yang Dong reassured him, smiling.

“Oh, all right. I’ll take you,” Wang Jianguo relaxed, then warmly led the two to Yin Xiumei’s house.

“Let’s drive,” Yang Dong invited Wang Jianguo into the car, and, following his directions, they arrived at Yin Xiumei’s home—a connected three-room brick house.

Clearly, they were doing well.

In rural Northeast China at this time, brick houses meant good conditions; some still lived in earthen homes.

The construction of new villages still had a long way to go.

“Niulaosan, where’s your wife?” Wang Jianguo asked Yin Xiumei’s husband as soon as he got out.

Niulaosan was outside chopping wood. Seeing the village chief arrive, and hearing his question about his wife, he replied gloomily, “She was taken away by the township police station.”

“What? Taken by the police station?” Wang Jianguo was shocked. “Why would they take her?”

“How long ago, sir?” Yang Dong’s expression changed as he questioned him urgently.

Niulaosan answered in a gruff voice, “Nearly half an hour ago.”

Hearing this, Yang Dong glanced at Shuangquan, his heart sinking.

Was he already a step too late?

“Let’s go!” Yang Dong wasted no words, beckoning Shuangquan, and they got in the car and left.

Wang Jianguo, hands behind his back, watched the car drive away and sighed, “Couldn’t they give me a ride back? Young people are always in such a rush, sigh.”

He turned to glare at Niulaosan, scolding, “You blockhead! Your wife was taken and you’re not worried?”