Chapter 66: The Summons from the Municipal Procuratorate

Tian Guanghan lifted his head and saw Yang Dong shouting at him. Quickly, his face full of grievance, he added, "Comrade Yang Dong, don't be angry. I was wrong, I truly was wrong."

He continued digging his pit, piling up dirt, waiting for Yang Dong to step in, so that when the moment came, all this accumulated earth would become Yang Dong's grave.

Yang Dong’s gaze locked tightly onto Tian Guanghan. He spoke in a deep, resonant voice: "Comrade Tian Guanghan, you underestimate me far too much!"

"I am a Party member. In my eyes, there is only the nation and the people."

"And now, I am also a member of the Discipline Inspection Commission. In my eyes, there is Party discipline and the law of the land."

"I, Yang Dong, have always upheld the principles of Party character, never straying from the masses."

"As a member of the Discipline Inspection Commission, I would never break the law, never slander you, never seek revenge, never frame you."

"Did I collect the evidence of your crimes?"

"Is the Discipline Inspection Commission of Lingyun City my personal domain? Did they all go along with me just to get back at you?"

"Comrade Tian Guanghan, please, don’t be so naive!"

"I am deeply pained by your words, truly pained."

"No matter what, you are my superior. Do you think I feel good about this? To personally put my own leader under investigation—my heart aches like it’s being cut by a knife."

"I always believed, Comrade Tian Guanghan, that you were a cadre with strong Party principles, someone who kept the people in mind, someone who cared about the real interests of ordinary citizens!"

"Who would have thought you would be so two-faced, so shameless!"

"Here and now, I swear on my Party character, as a Party member, as the son of a farmer!"

"I, Yang Dong, from beginning to end, have only upheld Party discipline and the law of the land, have only fought to defend the fundamental interests of the people, and I will battle to the death against corrupt criminals like you!"

"Even if I am smashed to pieces, I have no fear!"

"I only ask, Comrade Tian Guanghan, that you stop making mistake after mistake. Come clean and you will be treated leniently, resist and you will face harsh consequences. Honestly confess your problems, and strive for lenient treatment!"

Damn...

Hou Donglai stared at Yang Dong, utterly dumbfounded.

At this moment, Yang Dong seemed to shine with a radiant aura before him.

Every phrase invoked Party discipline and the law, every sentence echoed with the fundamental interests of the people, and his words were woven with heartbreak over his leader’s downfall.

Yang Dong, you should act in films; you’d win the Golden Horse award for best actor.

He invoked the people, and now Tian Guanghan kept digging his own pit... digging and digging...

Let’s see how you dig, let’s see how you set your trap.

Tian Guanghan’s eyes first showed shock, then disbelief, and finally rage. His face reddened, he pointed at Yang Dong, wanting to speak, but only a fit of violent coughing came out.

"Cough, cough, you... you..."

Tian Guanghan admitted to himself that until today, he had never taken Yang Dong seriously.

In his eyes, Yang Dong was nothing more than an honest little clerk.

Yet now, in this moment, his view of Yang Dong turned upside down.

This was no honest little clerk—this was a dazzling warrior of justice.

The pit he dug, the dirt he piled, none of it was wasted; it all came back to bury himself...

Yang Dong’s words were recorded by the surveillance camera.

Whenever the higher-ups saw this footage, they would clap their hands and give a thumbs-up.

Even the ordinary people, watching this video, would applaud.

Yang Dong was young, Yang Dong’s rank was low, and Tian Guanghan was the leader...

The drama of a subordinate challenging a leader always garners cheers for the underdog, because he stands as the weaker party.

In some people’s minds, the underdog is the oppressed, the bullied, and naturally earns more support.

Tian Guanghan had already been cast by Yang Dong as a stubborn criminal who refused to confess.

He lost points among the higher-ups.

He lost even more among the masses.

Yang Dong had practically put him on a spit, roasting him over the flames, vowing not to stop until he was golden brown...

Creak!

Suddenly, Tian Guanghan felt his body jerk forward, then lurch back.

The driver had slammed the brakes, and slammed them hard.

He hadn’t had time to alert the people in the car.

Yang Dong was also thrown forward, then back, and saw ahead on the road three prosecutor’s enforcement vehicles blocking the way.

Several prosecutors stood in front of the enforcement vehicles, all dressed in black uniforms with the national emblem pinned to their chests.

The leader was a man, not young, at least over fifty, his hair sparse and graying, but his face radiated integrity.

"Director Che?"

Hou Donglai, somewhat stunned, saw the man outside and couldn’t help but mutter.

Che Jinpeng, director of the second prosecutor’s office of the city prosecutor’s office.

Yang Dong unbuckled his seatbelt, pushed open the car door, and stepped out.

Lu Yike hurried down from the car behind, her heels clicking as she strode quickly to Yang Dong.

"What’s going on?" she asked, her face tense, glancing at the three city prosecutor’s enforcement vehicles parked ahead.

"Yike, tell Group Leader Su not to come out!" Yang Dong immediately tilted his head, hinting quietly to Lu Yike, then strode forward with a cold expression.

Lu Yike hesitated, then understood Yang Dong’s meaning.

If Su Tongzhou stayed inside, there was room to maneuver, or to make a countermove.

If Su Tongzhou came out, it would be a direct confrontation, needle against needle, deadlocked.

Yang Dong walked a few paces, coming before the city prosecutor’s officers.

"I am Yang Dong, leader of the tenth special investigation group of the city Discipline Inspection Commission!"

"What is the prosecutor’s office doing here?"

Yang Dong first announced his identity, then looked at the city prosecutor’s staff.

Che Jinpeng glanced at Yang Dong, then at the person beside him.

The prosecutor immediately took a summons out of his briefcase and unfolded it for Yang Dong.

"Comrade Yang Dong, someone has made a real-name report that while you served as head of the cultural and creative section of the Lingyun city government office, you accepted a bribe of thirty thousand yuan."

"The city prosecutor’s office is summoning you according to the law, so please come with us for investigation!"

After the young prosecutor finished, he signaled to two colleagues.

The two stepped forward, ready to hold Yang Dong’s arms.

In the car, Jiang Hu saw this and immediately pushed open the door, leaping out with agile steps.

"What are you doing!" Jiang Hu shouted at them, pushing aside the two city prosecutors and shielding Yang Dong behind him.

"Do you know what you’re doing? You’re not allowed to act recklessly when Discipline Inspection Commission staff are performing their duties!"

Jiang Hu’s expression was grim. The prosecutor’s sudden summons of Yang Dong clearly had something fishy about it.

If Yang Dong went with them, everyone could imagine the outcome.

Hou Donglai also pushed open the car door and got out. He really didn’t want to, but seeing his group leader ensnared, he couldn’t stay in the car any longer.

No matter what, he was now an investigator for the Discipline Inspection Commission, not a city prosecutor.

"Section Chief Che, what is this?" Hou Donglai stood next to Yang Dong, his face surprised as he looked at the city prosecutor’s people, especially Che Jinpeng, the director of the second prosecutor’s office.

"Oh, it’s Comrade Donglai, haven’t seen you in over twenty days, you look much older. Seems the work at the Discipline Inspection Commission is more exhausting than ours at the prosecutor’s office, huh?" Che Jinpeng squeezed out a smile, looking at Hou Donglai.

Hou Donglai returned the smile and was about to speak.

Che Jinpeng immediately raised his hand to stop him.

"Donglai, I’m on duty. No chatting!"

"Take him to the car!"

Che Jinpeng signaled to his subordinates to take Yang Dong away.

"I’d like to see who dares!" Jiang Hu desperately shielded Yang Dong, glaring at the city prosecutors.

"Jiang Hu, it’s one thing to throw your weight around at the police department, but you’re causing trouble while we’re performing official duties at the prosecutor’s office?" Che Jinpeng’s face turned cold, shouting at Jiang Hu.

The public security, prosecution, courts, and justice are all one family; everyone knows each other, especially someone as unique as Jiang Hu.

He knew Jiang Hu well.

"Che Jinpeng, today you won’t take him away!" Jiang Hu stared at Che Jinpeng, utterly unafraid.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

The Discipline Inspection Commission and the Prosecutor’s Office, their personnel, stood clearly divided.